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Among the most vibrant locations on a weekday evening in east London's famous street isn't a dining spot or a streetwear brand temporary shop, it is a chess club – or a chess club-nightclub hybrid, to be exact.

This unique venue represents the surprising crossover between the classic game and London's fervent nightlife scene. It was founded by a young entrepreneur, in his late twenties, who began his first chess club in the summer of 2023 at a more intimate bar in a nearby area, not too far from the present location at a popular cafe on Brick Lane.

“My goal was to make chess clubs for individuals who look like me and those my generation,” he said. “Typically, chess is only placed in environments that are dominated by older people, which is not inclusive sufficiently.”

Initially, there were only 8 boards shared by 16 people. Now, a “good night” at the weekly Knight Club will attract approximately two hundred eighty attendees.

Upon arrival, the venue seems more like a music night than a chess club. Mixed drinks are flowing and music is playing, but the chessboards on every table aren't just ornamental or there as a gimmick: they are all in use and surrounded by a line of spectators waiting for their chance to play.

One regular, 24, has frequented the club often for the past four months. “I possessed little understanding of chess before I came here, and the initial occasion I ever played, I competed in a game against a grandmaster. That was a swift win, but it made me fascinated to study and continue enjoying chess,” she noted.

“The event is about 50% social and 50% people genuinely wanting to engage in chess … It is a nice way to unwind, which avoids visiting a club to see other people my age.”

An Activity Reborn: The Ancient Game in the Modern Era

Lately, chess has been cemented in the cultural spirit of the times. The popularity of online chess proliferated during the pandemic, establishing it as one of the fastest-growing online pastimes in the world. In popular culture, the streaming series a hit show, along with the author's latest novel Intermezzo, have crafted a certain imagery associated with the sport, which has drawn in a new wave of enthusiasts.

But a great deal of this newfound appeal of the chess night is not necessarily about the technicalities of the game; instead, it is the simplicity of connecting with others that it enables, by taking a chair and engaging with someone who may be a complete stranger.

“It's a great Trojan horse,” said Jonah Freud, founder of Reference Point in the city, a bookshop, library, coffee house and lounge, which has hosted a well-attended chess club every Wednesday since it opened four years ago. His objective is to “remove chess off a pedestal and make it feel similar to pool in a dive bar”.

“It's a really easy vehicle to get to know people. It kind of takes the weight of the need of small talk away from socializing with people. You can do the uncomfortable part of introducing yourself and talking to someone across a game rather than with no shared activity involved.”

Expanding the Community: Chess Nights Beyond the Capital

In Birmingham, a similar initiative is a regular chess event taking place at York’s Cafe, just outside the downtown area. “We found that individuals are seeking spaces where you can socialize, interact and enjoy a good time beyond going to a bar or nightclub,” said its creator and coordinator, Karan Singh, 21.

Together with his associate Abdirahim Haji, 21, Singh bought chessboards, printed promotional materials and started the chess club in the start of the year, during his last year of college. Within months, he said their event has expanded to draw more than one hundred young participants 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 way; it's a social get-together with chess as part of it,” he emphasized.

Discovering and Playing: An Alternative Cohort of Chess Enthusiasts

For many, chess clubs are an introduction to the activity. Zoë Kezia, 27, is picking up how to play chess with other attenders of chess night at Reference Point. She became curious in the game was piqued after an enjoyable night moving to music and engaging in chess at one of the club's events.

“It is a strange idea, but it works,” she commented. “It encourages in-person exchanges instead of digital pastimes. It is a free third space to encounter new people. It is inviting, you don't need to necessarily be skilled at chess.”

Kezia jokingly compared the trendiness of chess with young people to the facade of the “performative male”, an effort to simulate braininess while projecting the veneer of “hipness”. If the chess craze has cultivated a genuine interest in the sport isn't something she's quite convinced by. “It's a wholesome trend, but it’s largely a fad,” she observed. “Once you compete against people who are truly serious about it, it rapidly becomes less enjoyable.”

Competitive Gaming and Togetherness

It might seem like a some fun and games for individuals looking to employ a game set as a social vehicle, but competitive players certainly have their role, albeit away from the dancefloor.

Another organizer, in her early twenties, who assists in organise the club,explains that increasingly competitive players have established a league table. “Participants who are part of the competition will play one another, we'll go to quarter-finals, advanced stages, and then we will eventually have a champion.”

Ryames Chan, 23, is a serious player and chess instructor. He has been the competition for about a year and participates at the club nearly weekly. “This offers a nice option to playing intense chess; it provides a sense of community,” he said.

“It's fascinating to observe how it evolves into increasingly a communal pastime, because in the past the only people who engaged in chess were people who didn't go outside; they simply remained home. It's usually only a pair playing on a game board …

“What appeals to me about this place is that one isn't actually playing against the digital opponent, you're facing real people.”