🔗 Share this article

Among the liveliest spots on a Tuesday evening in east London's Brick Lane couldn't be a restaurant or a streetwear label temporary shop, it is a chess club – or a chess club-nightclub hybrid, to be exact.

Knight Club represents the surprising crossover between the classic game and the city's fervent evening entertainment culture. It was started by a young entrepreneur, 27, who began his first chess club in the summer of 2023 at a smaller bar in Aldgate, not too far from the present location at Café 1001 on the iconic lane.

“My goal was to make chess clubs for people who share my background and those my age,” he said. “Typically, chess is only put in spaces that are full of senior individuals, which isn't diverse sufficiently.”

On the first night, there were just 8 boards shared by sixteen people. Now, a “good night” at the weekly club event will draw approximately 280 attendees.

Upon arrival, the venue seems closer to a music night than a traditional chess meeting. Cocktails are flowing and music is playing, but the game boards on every table are not just decorative or there as a gimmick: they are all in use and encircled by a queue of spectators eagerly anticipating for their turn.

One regular, 24, has been attending Knight Club regularly for the past four months. “I had no knowledge of chess before I came here, and the first time I ever played, I played a game with a grandmaster. That was a swift win, but it left me intrigued to learn and continue enjoying chess,” she said.

“This gathering is about half networking and half people actually wanting to play chess … It's a nice way to relax, which doesn't involve going to a typical nightspot to meet other people my age.”

An Activity Reborn: The Ancient Game in the Contemporary Age

In recent years, chess has been firmly established in the societal spirit of the times. The popularity of digital chess proliferated during the global health crisis, establishing it as one of the fastest-growing online pastimes in the world. Across media, the streaming series a hit show, as well as the author's latest novel a literary work, have created a certain iconography associated with the sport, which has drawn in a fresh wave of enthusiasts.

But much of this recent attraction of the chess night is not necessarily about the intricacies of the game; rather, it is the simplicity of social interaction that it facilitates, by taking a seat and engaging with a person who may be a total stranger.

“It is a great Trojan horse,” said Jonah Freud, founder of a local venue in the city, a bookshop, reading room, coffee house and lounge, which has hosted a popular chess club weekly since it began several years back. Freud’s objective is to “remove chess off a pedestal and transform it into like pool in a dive bar”.

“It's a really easy tool to get to know people. It somewhat removes the weight of the need of conversation from interacting with people. One can do the uncomfortable bit of making an introduction and talking to someone across a board instead of with no context involved.”

Growing the Network: Social Gatherings Outside London

Elsewhere in the UK, a similar initiative is a regular chess event taking place at York’s Cafe, just outside the downtown area. “Our observation was that people are looking for spaces where one can socialize, interact and enjoy a fun evening beyond visiting a bar or nightclub,” said its creator and organiser, Karan Singh, 21.

Alongside his friend Abdirahim Haji, 21, he bought game sets, created flyers and started the chess club in the start of the year, while in his last year of college. Within months, Singh said Chesscafé has expanded to draw over one hundred youthful players to its gatherings.

“A chess club has a particular reputation associated with it, about it being reserved. Our approach is to move in the opposite direction; it is a convivial party with chess involved,” he said.

Learning and Engaging: An Alternative Generation of Chess Enthusiasts

Among numerous attendees, chess clubs are an introduction to the activity. Zoë Kezia, 27, is picking up how to participate in chess with other visitors of chess night at Reference Point. Her interest in the game was sparked after an enjoyable evening dancing and engaging in chess at one of Knight Club's events.

“It is a unique idea, but it functions well,” she commented. “It encourages face-to-face exchanges rather than digital activities. It's a free third space to meet new people. It's inviting, you don't have to necessarily be skilled at chess.”

She humorously compared the trendiness of chess with the youth to the facade of the “ostentatious intellectual”, an effort to feign braininess while projecting the veneer of “coolness”. Whether the chess craze has cultivated a authentic passion in the sport is not something she's quite sure about. “It's a positive trend, but it’s largely a fad,” she said. “Once you compete against opponents who are really dedicated about it, it rapidly becomes less fun.”

Competitive Play and Community

It might all be a bit of lighthearted activity for individuals looking to use a game set as a social vehicle, but competitive participants certainly have their place, even if off the main party area.

Lucia Ene-Lesikar, 22, who helps organise Knight Club,explains that more skilled attenders have established a competitive ranking. “People who are in the league will face one another, we will go to quarter-finals, advanced stages, and then we'll finally have a league winner.”

A dedicated player, in his twenties, is a serious player and chess teacher. He has been the competition for about a year and plays at the club almost every week. “This offers a nice alternative to engaging in serious chess; it provides a feeling of belonging,” he said.

“It's fascinating to observe how it becomes increasingly a social pastime, because in the past the sole people who engaged in chess were those who rarely go outside; they simply stayed home. It's typically only two people competing on a game board …

“The thing I like about this place is that one isn't really facing the computer, you're engaging with live opponents.”