Next club night: Monday 7 September, 7.30pm — with the AGMMondays 7.30pm at Tunbridge Wells Bridge Club

UK chess statisticsYorkshire

Chess in Yorkshire

2,366 players held an ECF over-the-board rating with a Yorkshire club in August 2026 — the 3rd largest county association in England. Figures from the ECF rating-list dataset maintained by Tunbridge Wells Chess Club.

Rated players

2,366

August 2026

Growth since June 2022

+74%

Constant definition

Before the boom

939

July 2019 list (approximate — see methodology)

Active clubs

118

Clubs with at least one rated player

Rated players with Yorkshire clubs, 1994–2026
Rated players with Yorkshire clubs, 1994–2026. The same figures follow in the data table below the chart.01,0002,0003,00019982004201020162022New rating systemPost-covid rating purge2,366
View the figures as a table
DateRated players
July 1994591
July 1995479
July 1996787
July 1997776
July 1998659
July 1999632
July 2000573
July 2001549
July 2002532
July 2003534
July 2004519
July 2005574
July 2006597
July 2007612
July 2008671
July 2009691
July 2010590
July 2011596
January 2012628
July 2012608
January 2013641
July 2013617
January 2014627
July 2014582
January 2015654
July 2015649
January 2016698
July 2016675
January 2017670
July 2017640
January 2018698
July 2018705
January 2019860
July 2019939
January 20201,008
July 20201,317
August 20201,317
September 20201,317
October 20201,317
November 20201,317
December 20201,317
January 20211,317
February 20211,317
March 20211,317
April 20211,317
May 20211,323
June 20211,328
July 20211,340
August 20211,353
September 20211,382
October 20211,453
November 20211,469
December 20211,503
January 20221,518
February 20221,538
March 20221,574
April 20221,623
May 20221,638
June 20221,356
July 20221,408
August 20221,440
September 20221,440
October 20221,479
November 20221,524
December 20221,527
January 20231,521
February 20231,511
March 20231,472
April 20231,391
May 20231,434
June 20231,450
July 20231,545
August 20231,567
September 20231,571
October 20231,650
November 20231,743
December 20231,808
January 20241,842
February 20241,879
March 20241,903
April 20241,925
May 20241,948
June 20241,964
July 20242,029
August 20242,061
September 20242,071
October 20242,098
November 20242,160
December 20242,219
January 20252,238
February 20252,255
March 20252,280
April 20252,283
May 20252,285
June 20252,280
July 20252,288
August 20252,283
September 20252,300
October 20252,324
November 20252,360
December 20252,381
January 20262,380
February 20262,399
March 20262,414
April 20262,416
May 20262,417
June 20262,436
July 20262,386
August 20262,366

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.

Yorkshire clubs fielding rated players
Yorkshire clubs fielding rated players. The same figures follow in the data table below the chart.030609012019982004201020162022118
View the figures as a table
DateActive clubs
July 1994114
July 1995103
July 1996120
July 1997114
July 1998103
July 1999101
July 200097
July 200197
July 200294
July 200391
July 200489
July 200589
July 200691
July 200792
July 200893
July 200991
July 201090
July 201193
January 201291
July 201287
January 201388
July 201387
January 201488
July 201486
January 201585
July 201585
January 201684
July 201685
January 201785
July 201783
January 201884
July 201884
January 201985
July 201984
January 202085
July 202093
August 202093
September 202093
October 202093
November 202093
December 202093
January 202193
February 202193
March 202193
April 202193
May 202194
June 202194
July 202194
August 202194
September 202194
October 202196
November 202197
December 202196
January 202296
February 202297
March 202297
April 202299
May 202299
June 202290
July 202291
August 202290
September 202290
October 202291
November 202292
December 202291
January 202391
February 202394
March 202395
April 202393
May 202394
June 202394
July 202397
August 202397
September 202397
October 202398
November 202399
December 2023102
January 2024102
February 2024102
March 2024102
April 2024103
May 2024103
June 2024103
July 2024105
August 2024107
September 2024107
October 2024107
November 2024108
December 2024112
January 2025112
February 2025112
March 2025113
April 2025115
May 2025116
June 2025116
July 2025115
August 2025115
September 2025115
October 2025116
November 2025114
December 2025115
January 2026115
February 2026115
March 2026115
April 2026117
May 2026117
June 2026117
July 2026118
August 2026118

Yorkshire, club by club

Every Yorkshire 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
Ilkely Chess Centre539163
Hull3961111
Meltham and Denby Chess Club24107
Yorkshire Juniors2140104
York5068103
Harrogate334780
Leeds Junior Chess Club62179
SASCA212867
Darnall & Handsworth263466
Alwoodley385464
Leeds51560
Woodseats193651
Beverley181947
Victoria Dock101045
Rose Forgrove375143
Leeds University183243
Holmfirth52041
Eagle and Child152240
Sheffield University112140
Sheffield Nomads223038
Hebden Bridge162637
Huddersfield293237
Bingley & Keighley222536
St Andrews Hull213136
Barnsley202135
South Bradford81033
Ilkley182733
Ecclesall253233
York University141730
Hillsborough182029
Acomb WM Club152929
Bradford172127
The 147 Chess Club131723
Wakefield222423
East Hull Chess Club2322
Scarborough162122
Beeston (Yorks)61621
Worksop121418
Boston Spa3818
Halifax51417
Rotherham91316
The Chess Centre—1716
Saltaire5715
Undercliffe101015
Dons9913
Limewood & Scarcroft121613
Barnby Dun7713
The Farnley Academy——12
Tong Leadership Academy——12
Dewsbury11912
West Leeds8712
Willows, The121211
Crossley Heath School——10
De Lacy Academy——10
Sheffield Deaf6810
Settle1210
Ravenfield9109
Leeds CCCC10179
Shipley10119
York College——9
Farsley118
Three Horseshoes668
Mercia School——8
Hull University118
QEGS Wakefield117
Aughton666
Dixons Trinity——6
Calderdale896
Leeds Grammar School116
Pontefract896
Horsforth CC——6
Ye Olde Starre Inne456
Sheffield276
Sheffield Chess Centre——5
Bradford Central665
Wetherby665
St Peter's York——5
Belgrave354
Catholic Club1094
Hull and East Riding CA234
Doncaster Juniors224
Moortown464
Five Towns113
Roebuck223
Scarcroft School——3
Keighley453
Yorks Copper Works563
Selby U3A113
Stannington542
Doncaster Ch Scy112
Bridlington222
Nomads862
Checkmates Junior CC——1
Featherstone Juniors——1
Holmfirth High School——1
Idle111
Illingworth——1
King in the North CC——1
Newbald Primary School——1
Play Chess West Yorkshire——1
Phoenix (Yorks)111
Richmond (Yorks)421
Todmorden111
Hallcross C School111
Doncaster YMCA111
Archbishops—31
St Bedes111
Bradford Schools111
David Brown Gear—11
West Bretton111
Netherton111
Van Leer Hull111
Withernsea7121
Arden111
Brighouse121
Lady Anne Mdlton111
Pudsey441
Shepherds111

← All counties and the national picture