65+ Impressive Chess Statistics and Facts To Know in 2024

There are countless exciting chess statistics and facts, and I recently just discovered some of them. 

Before we dive right into the chess statistics, let me say that the game just recently started booming. Thanks to Netflix’s “The Queen’s Gambit” and the lockdown. 

Chess is one of the greatest games that has ever been invented. It challenges your thinking skills. No wonder it is recommended for entrepreneurs and top leaders. 

In fact, in my opinion, it is a top leadership skill. And over 600 million people play chess regularly!

Inspired by my findings about chess, I decided to gather a complete list of interesting chess statistics. 

So, even if you are a newbie or want to learn more about the world of chess, these statistics will guide you.

Critical Highlights: Chess Statistics

• The global chess market was valued at $2.2 billion in 2023. It is expected to reach $3 billion in 2032.
• The exact number of possible chess games is unknown, but it is estimated to be around 10^120 (10 to the power 120).
• Sergey Karjakin is the youngest person to become a chess grandmaster, having achieved the title at the age of 12 years and 7 months.
• The longest tournament game on record lasted for 269 moves and took over 20 hours to complete.
• About 83% of households worldwide own a Chessboard.
• There are approximately 600 million people who know how to play chess worldwide.
• The word “checkmate” originates from the Persian phrase “Shah Mat,” which means “the King is helpless.”

Chess Statistics Overview

1. The global chess market was valued at $2.2 billion in 2023. It is expected to reach $3 billion in 2032, growing at a CAGR of 3.4% from 2024 to 2032. (source)

2. Another similar report shows the global chess market size was valued at $2.1 billion in 2022. The market is expected to expand at a CAGR of 3.58% between 2022 and 2028, reaching $2.7 billion by 2028. (source)

3. The European chess market accounted for approximately 32% of global revenue, with a CAGR of 3.2%. (source)

4. The longest chess game possible is 5,949 moves. (source)

5. According to Proficient Marketing Insights, the global Online Chess Instruction and Play market was worth $173.55 million in 2023. It is expected to grow at a CAGR of 13.14% over the forecast period, reaching $363.98 million by 2030. (source)

6. The global market for online chess instruction and play was $151.94 million in 2021. (source)

7. The House of Staunton, ChessSUA, CNCHESS, ChessBaron, Chessncrafts, Chessbazaar.com, Official Staunton, and ABC-CHESS.com are the world’s leading chess manufacturers. (source)

8. Chess was invented in Northern India around the 6th century AD. (source)

9. The first official World Chess Championship was held in 1886. (source)

10. The computer chess program Deep Blue beat the World Chess Champion, Garry Kasparov, in 1997. (source)

11. Although the exact number of possible chess games is unknown, it is estimated to be around 10^120. (source)

12. The youngest grandmaster in chess history is Sergey Karjakin, who achieved the title at 12 years and 7 months. (source)

13. Only 13% of players in the US Chess Federation (“US Chess”) are women, and many other chess federations have even lower percentages. Of all FIDE-rated players, 11% are female. Much research has been published on this gender disparity, focusing on probable deficiencies in chess ability among females. (source)

14. The longest chess match to be recorded stretches for over 20 hours and 15 minutes. It landed 269 moves. (source)

15. There are about eight chess titles recognized by FIDE. (source)

These titles are:

• Grandmaster (GM)
• International Master (IM)
• FIDE Master (FM)
• Candidate Master (CM)
• Woman Grandmaster (WGM)
• Woman International Master (WIM)
• Woman FIDE Master (WFM)
• Woman Candidate Master (WCM)

16. Although men make up the vast majority of grandmasters, 41 women have been awarded the title as of 2024 out of approximately 2000 grandmasters. (source)

17. Chess moves can be more possible than the number of atoms in the entire universe, estimated to be around 10^80 (10 to the power 80). (source)

18. Up to 83% of households worldwide own a Chessboard. (source)

19. More than 600 million people play chess daily. (source)

20. The Indian chess market was worth approximately $20.5 billion in 2016 and grew to $25.5 billion in 2022. (source)

21. About 70% of the adult population in the United States, India, Germany, Russia, and the United Kingdom has played chess at some point in their lives. (source)

22. 605 million adults play chess regularly. (source)

23. The chess game has over 2,000 identifiable variants. (source)

24. It is possible to checkmate an opponent in chess in two moves. (source)

25. Ding Liren is the current Chess World Champion. (source)

26. The oldest living Grandmaster, Yuri Averbakh, celebrated his 100th birthday in May 2022. (source)

27. It is estimated that there are about 800 million chess players worldwide, and only a tiny portion of them are grandmasters. (source)

28. In 2022, the North American chess market was projected to be worth $40.5 million. (source)

29. About 82% of Americans think chess is a game of skill. However, only 4% believe it is a game of luck. (source)

30. White’s best opening is the Queen’s Gambit, while black’s is the Sicilian Defense. (source)

31. Chess.com is the most popular online chess website. It has had over 11.1 million new users since 2020. (source)

32. In 2020, Chess’s popularity increased and became the most trendy board game. (source)

33. The Netflix series The Queen’s Gambit saw over 62 million households watching within the first month of its release. (source)

The Queen’s Gambit is a top-rated series about chess. Its release on October 23rd, 2020, contributed to the already booming chess industry. 

34. Following the release of ‘The Queen’s Gambit,’ the sale of chess boards and book sales skyrocketed to 87% and 603%, respectively. (source)

35. Chess.com has over 1.5 million U.K. users. In 2020, the leading chess website had thousands of U.K. users joining daily. (source)

36. As of November 2020, 56% interest in ‘How to Play Chess’ has been seen compared to the first peak during March and April. (source)

37. On average, a chess game lasts 79 half moves, equating to 40 full moves. (source)

38. The credit for the invention of the first chess engine goes to Alan Turing, a feat he achieved in 1951. (source)

39. According to the International Chess Federation, as of January 2021, Indian chess players included 68 Grandmasters and 124 International Masters. They also included 20 Woman Grandmasters and 42 Woman International Masters, for 33,028 rated players. (source)

40. Magnus Carlsen has the highest FIDE rating score of all time. He reached up to 2882, more than Garry Kasparov’s 2851. (source)

41. The first instance of a computer chess engine defeating a human player occurred in November 1988. (source)

42. In 1280, the rule allowing pawns to move two squares on their first move was introduced in Spain, altering the chess game. (source)

43. The number of possible positions in chess increases rapidly as the game progresses. After the first few moves, there could be more than 400 possible positions. (source)

44. After two moves have been played in a chess game, there are now about 72,084 possible moves to make. (source)

45. When each player completes three moves, another 9 million options open up. (source)

46. According to a report, Chess will experience significant growth in the Asia Pacific region as it becomes more prevalent in countries such as China and India. (source)

Interesting Facts About Chess

47. Dr. Emanuel Lasker from Germany retained the World Chess Champion title for more time than any other player ever: 26 years and 337 days. (source)

48. The word “checkmate” originates from the Persian phrase “Shah Mat,” which means “the King is helpless”. (source)

49. In 1090, Europe welcomed the debut of the inaugural Chessboard, adorned with a captivating pattern of alternating light and dark squares. (source)

50. In 1985, Garry Kasparov, a Soviet chess player, became the youngest World Chess Champion ever at 22 years and 210 days. (source)

51. The first mechanical Chess Clock was invented by Thomas Wilson in 1883. Before that, Sandglasses were used. (source)

52. In 1125, a Chess-playing priest initially invented the folding Chess board. To comply with the Church’s prohibition on priests playing Chess, he concealed his Chess board by crafting a deceptive design that resembled two books resting side by side. (source)

53. The worst performance by a player was Macleod of Canada, who lost 31 games in the New York double-round robin of 1889. (source)

54. In 1985, Eric Knoppert played 500 games of 10-minute Chess in 68 hours. (source)

55. In 1882, there were 72 consecutive Queen moves in the Mason-Mackenzie game in London. (source)

56. Rookies, or players in their first year, are named after the Rook in Chess. Rooks generally are the last pieces to be moved into action, and the same goes for Rookies. (source)

57. Psychologists often cite Chess as an effective way to improve memory function. (source)

After all, chess involves memorizing numerous combinations of moves and their potential outcomes. 

Experienced chess players show higher performance related to a particular kind of recollection: auditory memory.

Chess has been shown to prevent cognitive decline and may help reduce symptoms of certain brain conditions such as dementia, ADHD, and panic attacks.

58. The second book ever printed in the English language was about chess! (source)

59. The oldest recorded chess game in history is from the 900s, between a historian from Baghdad and his student. (source)

60. The Pawn, In many languages, is a foot soldier. But in German and Spanish, it’s a peasant or farmer instead. (source)

61. The longest time for a Castling move to take place was the match between Bobotsor vs. Irkov in 1966: 46. 0-0. (source)

62. The world’s most expensive chess set, which includes diamonds and emeralds, is worth more than $9.8 million. (source)

63. The oldest chess manual known to have existed was written in Arabic and originated around 840 AD. (source)

64. The World’s Largest Chess Piece is 6.09 m (20 ft.) tall. It is 53 times bigger than its model, the “Championship Staunton” king piece, and weighs 10,860 pounds. (source)

65. In 1972, Iceland established a 24-hour Police Guard around the chess match seats of Fischer and Spassky to keep out intruders in the chess game. (source)

66. Janos French, a Hungarian player, set the record in 1960 for playing 52 opponents blindfolded concurrently. (source)

67. Fool’s Mate: In two moves, defeat your chess opponent. (source)

Conclusion

The world of chess is filled with fascinating statistics and facts. With an estimated 10^120 possible chess games and a global market size of $2110.06 million, chess continues to captivate players worldwide. 

From Sergey Karjakin becoming the youngest grandmaster at 12 years and seven months to the longest recorded tournament game lasting over 20 hours, the game’s history is rich and diverse. 

Whether it’s the origins of the word “checkmate” or the abundance of chess positions that can arise, chess enthusiasts constantly discover new aspects of the game. 

Overall, these surprising chess statistics and trends showcase the enduring appeal and complexity of one of the world’s oldest and most beloved games.