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UK chess statisticsSuffolk

Chess in Suffolk

349 players held an ECF over-the-board rating with a Suffolk club in August 2026 — the 28th largest county association in England. Figures from the ECF rating-list dataset maintained by Tunbridge Wells Chess Club.

Rated players

349

August 2026

Growth since June 2022

+44%

Constant definition

Before the boom

216

July 2019 list (approximate — see methodology)

Active clubs

19

Clubs with at least one rated player

Rated players with Suffolk clubs, 1994–2026
Rated players with Suffolk clubs, 1994–2026. The same figures follow in the data table below the chart.010020030040019982004201020162022New rating systemPost-covid rating purge349
View the figures as a table
DateRated players
July 1994215
July 1995193
July 1996214
July 1997204
July 1998191
July 1999158
July 2000166
July 2001173
July 2002149
July 2003143
July 2004148
July 2005160
July 2006160
July 2007167
July 2008169
July 2009153
July 2010159
July 2011156
January 2012155
July 2012147
January 2013146
July 2013130
January 2014149
July 2014162
January 2015201
July 2015202
January 2016214
July 2016211
January 2017210
July 2017178
January 2018190
July 2018195
January 2019195
July 2019216
January 2020224
July 2020361
August 2020361
September 2020361
October 2020361
November 2020361
December 2020361
January 2021361
February 2021361
March 2021363
April 2021363
May 2021361
June 2021361
July 2021362
August 2021362
September 2021373
October 2021382
November 2021382
December 2021388
January 2022391
February 2022392
March 2022395
April 2022397
May 2022398
June 2022242
July 2022236
August 2022235
September 2022233
October 2022241
November 2022244
December 2022240
January 2023225
February 2023218
March 2023215
April 2023201
May 2023204
June 2023223
July 2023224
August 2023225
September 2023225
October 2023240
November 2023247
December 2023262
January 2024266
February 2024270
March 2024271
April 2024272
May 2024290
June 2024296
July 2024297
August 2024297
September 2024297
October 2024299
November 2024312
December 2024318
January 2025317
February 2025320
March 2025322
April 2025324
May 2025322
June 2025317
July 2025320
August 2025320
September 2025320
October 2025333
November 2025350
December 2025359
January 2026359
February 2026364
March 2026361
April 2026367
May 2026365
June 2026354
July 2026352
August 2026349

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.

Suffolk clubs fielding rated players
Suffolk clubs fielding rated players. The same figures follow in the data table below the chart.051015201998200420102016202219
View the figures as a table
DateActive clubs
July 199419
July 199519
July 199618
July 199717
July 199817
July 199915
July 200017
July 200119
July 200217
July 200314
July 200417
July 200517
July 200617
July 200717
July 200816
July 200915
July 201016
July 201116
January 201216
July 201214
January 201313
July 201312
January 201412
July 201413
January 201514
July 201514
January 201614
July 201614
January 201715
July 201715
January 201814
July 201815
January 201915
July 201912
January 202017
July 202017
August 202017
September 202017
October 202017
November 202017
December 202017
January 202117
February 202117
March 202117
April 202117
May 202117
June 202117
July 202117
August 202117
September 202117
October 202117
November 202117
December 202117
January 202217
February 202217
March 202217
April 202217
May 202217
June 202217
July 202217
August 202217
September 202217
October 202216
November 202216
December 202217
January 202316
February 202314
March 202314
April 202314
May 202314
June 202314
July 202314
August 202314
September 202314
October 202314
November 202314
December 202315
January 202415
February 202415
March 202415
April 202415
May 202415
June 202415
July 202415
August 202415
September 202415
October 202415
November 202416
December 202416
January 202517
February 202518
March 202518
April 202519
May 202518
June 202518
July 202518
August 202518
September 202518
October 202518
November 202519
December 202519
January 202619
February 202619
March 202619
April 202619
May 202619
June 202619
July 202619
August 202619

Suffolk, club by club

Every Suffolk 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
Bury St Edmunds455987
Ipswich323946
Benjamin Britten Academy Of Music And Maths——23
Sudbury81522
Bury Knights41020
Newmarket1319
Royal Hospital School——18
Stowmarket131418
Woodbridge101718
Felixstowe101217
Manningtree131717
Saxmundham111616
Woodbridge School1979
Ipswich Sports Club——7
Warren Hill——4
Martlesham Junior Chess Club262
Adastral Park212
Suffolk Juniors50192
St Benedict's Catholic School——2

← All counties and the national picture