English Chess Forum

Some interesting statistics about chess countries here (comparing 2008 and 2012):

http://www.chessbase.com/newsdetail.asp?newsid=7913

Top 20 (roughly) for:

Number of internationally rated players
Increase in the number of rated players
Average ratings of the rated players
Titled players

England only appears in one of those lists. Guess which one. Anyone know the numbers for England for the other three?

PS. Extra-special bonus points for working out why the number of GMs England has has remained the same at 35 between 2008 and 2012 (yes, this is a trick question of sorts).

That's obvious enough. We've only ever imported two, Suba and Lalic, and even they returned to their original affiliations. We've exported at least 4, Gallagher to Switzerland, Kosten to France, Norwood to Andorra and Turner to Scotland. The last two were quite recent. I'm trying to remember the newest GMs, two from Howell, Jones and Haslinger I'd presume.

Stephen Gordon's more recent than any of those.

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http://westcountrychess.blogspot.com

I'd forgotten Norwood's switch to Andorra. There are several changes I need to add to an updated version of this (including the newest IM):

viewtopic.php?f=27&t=2165

Howell, Jones and Haslinger were all 2007. Simon Williams only became a GM in 2008 (year of title ratification). Stephen Gordon was in 2009. Nothing since then. Norwood and Turner leaving would explain the number of England GMs staying at 35, though I'd have to check the actual lists used to create the stats and see where Norwood and Turner are in those. Either 2 for 2, or 1 for 1, depending on whether Williams was included in the 2008 stats, and whether Turner had yet changed on the list.

No new Grandmasters for three years, and there aren't exactly a queue of people fighting it out to be the next one. At least, not in the immediate future.

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February 16-17: 2013 BUCA Team Championship
April 20: 2013 British Blitz Championship
July 27-August 10: 100th British Chess Championships

I think Jonathan Hawkins looks pretty close: two GM norms already, and his 4NCL results so far this season are as follows:

1 v 2191 wm
1 v 2516 g
1 v 2267
½ v 2421 m
1 v 2419 m
½ v 2653 g

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http://westcountrychess.blogspot.com

Aha, I hadn't tracked this!

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February 16-17: 2013 BUCA Team Championship
April 20: 2013 British Blitz Championship
July 27-August 10: 100th British Chess Championships