In the 80s we were the best in the world after the Russians...

...but now:

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2015/nov/20/grandmaster-crash-how-english-chess-pawned-its-future

Any Brits have any comments on the above article?

I've found it very interesting, and I fully agree with Davies and Short.

Very interesting article and sad, I started noticing the game in the late 70's-80's self taught when The BBC produced the Master Game. Then we had the interest of the candidate matches where Short and Speelman doing battle to keep the interest. The Shorts final against Kasparov, so we were spoiled and chess was on TV. Since then chess has gone largely digital still widely accessible but with no exciting British participants at a higher level. Yes Short and Adams still compete here but for what???? To challenge for a world title you already have to be a super GM. Little or no incentive for our players. Pre 90's lower ranked players had an opportunity to qualify via the interzonals. Now you have no chance. Chess is popular in the UK with Michael Basman promoting his Delancey UK schools chess challenge helping to find future stars, but now this faces the axe.

Looking at the 42nd Olympiad England average rating was 2685, not a bad rating so do we under perform at major championships, probably. 

Can today's chess stars live off chess, I don't believe so. People need real jobs to survive and with little or no help from the federation what chance do they have.

So what is the answer, Maybe we need an England team to re ignite the imagination or another major event to come to our shores but this cost money and does the federation have the money or interest is doing so. 

We need to give our guys a chance, a light at the end of the tunnel to chase. At the moment that door appears tightly shut. 

Thanks 2blackrooks for your interesting thoughts. I agree the future looks somewhat dim currently.

I think their are still many british players playing, I just think the structure to get them to super GM level is not their. Plenty of weekend events still ongoing and full. I wouldn't personally take this site as an indication. (or I'd like to believe)

I guess there might be some guys out there like Luke McShane who is sometimes called "the world's strongest amateur" who looks to be at 2647 right now. Other than that though I think a lot of players pursued school and their careers and so chess took a backseat for many. The same thing happened in the US. There's a documentary called "American Gambit" about a timed simul between Garry Kasparov and the strongest junior players in the US. Players like Patrick Wolff and Stuart Rachels talked about this. That was filmed on Febuary 12, 1988.