How many chessplayers?

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rooperi

How many chessplayers are there worldwide?

How many of them play competitively? (let's say anything that involves a rating is competitive)

What percentage of the global poulation is this?

What was this percentage in: 1800, 1850, 1900, 1920, 1940, 1960, 1980, 2000?

Was there a growth spike because of the internet?

I need to know, because I have a plan....

artfizz

7.5 million.

doomsuckle

Well over 9000.

dkmare

Estonia had 200,000 chessplayers alone compared to NZ's 2000 rated players...lol

I worked for Statistics New Zealand 2001.

orangehonda

Well, due to online just about all chess involves a rating... but I wouldn't necessarily call all online players competitive.

dkmare

I am referring only to Fide and Corres ratings.

rooperi

OK, do you guys think that a greater percentage of the total population plays chess today compared to 200 years ago?

If arfizz's 7.5 million is correct, that tranlates to approx 1 chessplayer per 1000 population.

in 1804 (when population reached 1 Billion) were ther about 1000 players? More? Less?

heinzie

Since you started this thread I have started counting, and from this thread it seems about six

orangehonda
rooperi wrote:

OK, do you guys think that a greater percentage of the total population plays chess today compared to 200 years ago?

If arfizz's 7.5 million is correct, that tranlates to approx 1 chessplayer per 1000 population.

in 1804 (when population reached 1 Billion) were ther about 1000 players? More? Less?


1/1000th of a billion is one million, not 1000.

I think undoubtedly a higher % of the total population on earth plays chess today compared to 200 years ago.

rooperi
orangehonda wrote:
rooperi wrote:

OK, do you guys think that a greater percentage of the total population plays chess today compared to 200 years ago?

If arfizz's 7.5 million is correct, that tranlates to approx 1 chessplayer per 1000 population.

in 1804 (when population reached 1 Billion) were ther about 1000 players? More? Less?


1/1000th of a billion is one million, not 1000.

I think undoubtedly a higher % of the total population on earth playes chess today compared to 200 years ago.


Deliberate mistake, to keep you on your toes. That's my story, and I'm sticking to it Foot in mouth

artfizz
rooperi wrote:

How many chessplayers are there worldwide?

... According to the The Chess in the Olympics Campaign, for example, "605 million people worldwide know how to play chess" 

How many of them play competitively? (let's say anything that involves a rating is competitive)

and "7.5 million are registered players." These "staggering" numbers are repeated by Susan Polgar at her blog. Obviously, if you believe these numbers, chess is more popular than practically any other Olympic sport....

What percentage of the global poulation is this?

World population in 2010 is approaching 7 billion (6,869,122,358 to be exact).

What was this percentage in: 1800, 1850, 1900, 1920, 1940, 1960, 1980, 2000?

Year

World population

Competitive chess players / world pop

1600

½ billion

 

1800

1 billion

 

1850

 

 

1900

 

 

1920

 

 

1930

2 billion

 

1940

 

 

1960

 

 

1970

4 billion

 

1980

4 ½ billion

 

2000

6 billion

 

2010

6 ¾ billion

2M*/6B = 0.03%

Was there a growth spike because of the internet?

"285 million people play ... via the internet" 

I need to know, because I have a plan....


On the other hand, in a recent post J'Adoube writes: "The chess universe is relatively small - only a few million competitive players world wide out of a population exceeding 6 Billion

http://www.kenilworthchessclub.org/kenilworthian/2007/02/how-many-chessplayers.html 

dkmare

well if Susan said it, I will take that as "gospel"...

Niven42
doomsuckle wrote:

Well over 9000.


 What 9000!?

rooperi

285 million people play ... via the internet"

Really??? That translates to one in 24 of the total population. Seems a little high....

artfizz
rooperi wrote:

285 million people play ... via the internet"

Really??? That translates to one in 24 of the total population. Seems a little high....


Would you believe 284 million? (I'm only quoting the speculation in this article).

clinttherakam

Btw, I have an actually life chess rating of 680 something.

clinttherakam

And interesting thread...Sealed

trigs
rooperi wrote:

How many chessplayers are there worldwide?

not enough because none of my friends play chess.

MyCowsCanFly
rooperi wrote:

How many chessplayers are there worldwide?

I need to know, because I have a plan....


Rooperi:

If this is a plan for world domination, I can see where these estimates are important. The number of course, depends on the definition. It might help to know what skills might be required in your plan to take over the world.

However, I can understand if you are reluctant to share such information at this early stage. No one will be expecting chess players to take over the world.

rooperi
MyCowsCanFly wrote:
rooperi wrote:

How many chessplayers are there worldwide?

I need to know, because I have a plan....


Rooperi:

If this is a plan for world domination, I can see where these estimates are important. The number of course, depends on the definition. It might help to know what skills might be required in your plan to take over the world.

However, I can understand if you are reluctant to share such information at this early stage. No one will be expecting chess players to take over the world.


I've been rumbled....