Popularity of chess in Germany grows by 17% in 10 years

Chess participation in Germany has grown by 17% over past 10 years ago according to a YouGov survey conducted in association with World Chess, the international chess gaming and entertainment company, and it.com Domains. The latest survey indicates that nearly a quarter, 23.3% of Germany’s 83 million population is either playing regularly or has played within the past 12 months, up from 19.9% in 2012.

Double the number of males play compared to females

The survey shows the sport to be significantly more popular with males, with 32% having played at least once in the past 12 months compared to 14.9% of females. The percentage split of male and female players was 67% to 33%, which closely corresponds findings in a UK survey which reported 69% versus 31%. However, the results of the UK survey showed lower participation levels, with 13% either playing regularly or at least within the past 12 months.

Chess club membership declining with the rise of online platforms

Whilst 18.9% of regular players are shown to be members of chess clubs, 32.7% of those who play either regularly or within the past 12 months have left their chess clubs over time. However, this figure was less than indicated by the data collated by a parallel survey of the UK, where 41.2% had given up their chess club membership over time, despite still playing.

Berlin recorded the lowest percentage of players but the highest club membership

The Northwest of Germany (covering Bremen, Hamburg, Niedersachsen, and Schleswig-Holstein) recorded the highest proportion of players, with 26% of those polled having played in the past 12 months, whilst 12.9% of those playing regularly also being members of chess clubs.

Germany’s Capital, Berlin was the lowest at 13.8% but topped the pole for the region with the highest proportion of chess club members, with 24.7% of those who play being a member of a club. The western region (covering Hessen, Rheinland-Pfalz and Saarland) recorded the second highest percentage of players at 25.3% and the highest proportion of chess membership, with 16.2% of regular players also being club members.

Low awareness of elite-level chess

The survey also found that only 3% of Germans could correctly identify the current Chess World Champion – China’s Ding Liren, who took the title from Norway’s long-standing champion, Magnus Carlsen earlier this year. Given he held the title for a decade, perhaps unsurprisingly 10% of participants believed that Carlsen still held the title. At the same time, 65% of survey participants stated that they simply did not know the current champion’s name, a further indication that elite-level chess still carries a relatively low profile compared to other sports.

Commenting on the survey, Ilya Merenzon, CEO of World Chess, said: “It is really encouraging to see a 17% increase in the popularity of chess in Germany over the course of a decade, with the sport continuing to resonate with a large proportion of the population. The survey does highlight the gap in gender participation, which we are eager to change, whilst the impact of digital platforms on club memberships, emphasizes the need for chess stakeholders to remain attuned to the evolving preferences of enthusiasts.

‘Whilst club membership appears to have declined, numbers are still strong in certain areas, notably Berlin, which is home to our own World Chess Club Berlin. Through our club concept, we are redefining the traditional chess club culture by creating a dedicated hub for playing, socialising and hosting tournaments, where membership is not required. Building on the early success of this model and the interest we have seen from people wanting to play chess in an entertaining environment, we are looking to open new sites in other major city locations.’

Andrey Insarov, CEO of it.com Domains, added: ‘We are thrilled to see the steady growth in chess popularity in Germany over the past decade. However, the survey results highlighting the decline in chess club membership among regular players raise concerns. It is crucial that we support and empower chess clubs and communities to connect with new audiences online. Together with our partner World Chess, we are committed to providing the necessary tools and resources to ensure this intelligent sport remains relevant and thrives.’

Survey Results by German Region (2,136 participants)