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UK chess statisticsLancashire

Chess in Lancashire

643 players held an ECF over-the-board rating with a Lancashire club in August 2026 — the 19th largest county association in England. Figures from the ECF rating-list dataset maintained by Tunbridge Wells Chess Club.

Rated players

643

August 2026

Growth since June 2022

+70%

Constant definition

Before the boom

280

July 2019 list (approximate — see methodology)

Active clubs

34

Clubs with at least one rated player

Rated players with Lancashire clubs, 1994–2026
Rated players with Lancashire clubs, 1994–2026. The same figures follow in the data table below the chart.020040060080019982004201020162022New rating systemPost-covid rating purge643
View the figures as a table
DateRated players
July 1994494
July 1995309
July 1996379
July 1997397
July 1998413
July 1999354
July 2000308
July 2001314
July 2002309
July 2003274
July 2004299
July 2005284
July 2006305
July 2007300
July 2008297
July 2009271
July 2010271
July 2011259
January 2012264
July 2012261
January 2013256
July 2013239
January 2014245
July 2014246
January 2015264
July 2015260
January 2016261
July 2016253
January 2017259
July 2017248
January 2018265
July 2018261
January 2019260
July 2019280
January 2020287
July 2020463
August 2020463
September 2020463
October 2020463
November 2020463
December 2020463
January 2021463
February 2021463
March 2021463
April 2021463
May 2021463
June 2021463
July 2021466
August 2021467
September 2021467
October 2021488
November 2021492
December 2021510
January 2022513
February 2022520
March 2022530
April 2022545
May 2022549
June 2022378
July 2022377
August 2022375
September 2022375
October 2022386
November 2022403
December 2022404
January 2023410
February 2023418
March 2023396
April 2023354
May 2023360
June 2023371
July 2023384
August 2023387
September 2023393
October 2023396
November 2023418
December 2023443
January 2024447
February 2024452
March 2024472
April 2024475
May 2024478
June 2024489
July 2024497
August 2024496
September 2024495
October 2024508
November 2024524
December 2024523
January 2025528
February 2025540
March 2025542
April 2025557
May 2025554
June 2025544
July 2025552
August 2025553
September 2025555
October 2025563
November 2025563
December 2025580
January 2026586
February 2026584
March 2026604
April 2026601
May 2026601
June 2026600
July 2026598
August 2026643

County attribution uses each player's latest-known club, so the early decades understate clubs that have since closed — recent years are exact, the far left of the chart is indicative. The two marked breaks are changes in the national list definition, not local events. Full caveats on the methodology.

Lancashire clubs fielding rated players
Lancashire clubs fielding rated players. The same figures follow in the data table below the chart.0102030401998200420102016202234
View the figures as a table
DateActive clubs
July 199437
July 199533
July 199634
July 199732
July 199834
July 199936
July 200034
July 200133
July 200229
July 200331
July 200431
July 200529
July 200629
July 200729
July 200829
July 200926
July 201027
July 201130
January 201231
July 201229
January 201329
July 201326
January 201429
July 201428
January 201528
July 201527
January 201627
July 201626
January 201728
July 201728
January 201828
July 201826
January 201925
July 201925
January 202024
July 202029
August 202029
September 202029
October 202029
November 202029
December 202029
January 202129
February 202129
March 202129
April 202129
May 202129
June 202129
July 202129
August 202129
September 202129
October 202129
November 202129
December 202129
January 202230
February 202230
March 202230
April 202230
May 202231
June 202226
July 202226
August 202226
September 202226
October 202226
November 202226
December 202226
January 202326
February 202327
March 202327
April 202326
May 202326
June 202326
July 202326
August 202326
September 202326
October 202326
November 202326
December 202327
January 202427
February 202427
March 202428
April 202428
May 202428
June 202428
July 202428
August 202428
September 202428
October 202428
November 202428
December 202428
January 202528
February 202529
March 202530
April 202530
May 202529
June 202529
July 202529
August 202529
September 202529
October 202529
November 202529
December 202529
January 202629
February 202630
March 202631
April 202631
May 202631
June 202631
July 202633
August 202634

Lancashire, club by club

Every Lancashire club with rated players on the current list, including school and junior organisations, with their July 2019 and June 2022 figures for the before-and-after. The ECF rating list records one club per player, so players who turn out for more than one club are counted once, at their listed club.

ClubJul 2019Jun 2022August 2026
Lancashire Juniors121060
Lancaster163359
Leyland182057
Atherton102055
Preston183249
Crusaders Blackburn212941
Poulton-le-Fylde172241
Lytham St Annes173035
Heywood293528
Lancaster University14728
Clitheroe81426
Bolton School182324
Burnley91521
Rossendale101017
Great Harwood8914
Bare Village5811
Morecambe131511
Skelmersdale151411
Lancaster Chess Academy129
St George's School——7
Horwich176
Lancaster Royal Grammar School116
Rochdale8105
Bispham574
Garstang——4
Lancaster Junior11114
Blackpool232
Leigh——2
Aughton St Michaels411
Chorley171
Cleveleys111
Salford111
Stonyhurst College111
Tyldesley——1

← All counties and the national picture