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Among the liveliest spots on a Tuesday evening in the East End's Brick Lane couldn't be a restaurant or a streetwear brand temporary shop, it is a chess gathering – or a chess and nightlife combination, precisely speaking.

This unique venue represents the surprising blend between chess and the city's dynamic nightlife culture. It was started by a young entrepreneur, in his late twenties, who launched his first chess club in the summer of 2023 at a smaller bar in a nearby area, not too far from the current location at Café 1001 on the iconic lane.

“I wanted to make chess clubs for people who look like me and those my age,” he said. “Typically, chess is only placed in spaces that are full of older people, which is not inclusive sufficiently.”

Initially, there were only eight boards shared by 16 people. Now, a “good night” at the weekly club event will draw approximately 280 attendees.

At first glance, Knight Club feels closer to a DJ event than a chess club. Mixed drinks are being served and tunes is playing, but the game boards on every table aren't just ornamental or there as a gimmick: they are all occupied and encircled by a queue of spectators waiting for their turn.

Jimmy Ifenayi, in her mid-twenties, has frequented Knight Club often for the last several months. “I possessed little understanding of chess before I came here, and the first time I ever played, I competed in a game with a expert player. It was a swift win, but it left me intrigued to learn and continue enjoying chess,” she noted.

“The event is about half social and half participants actually wishing to play chess … It's a nice way to decompress, which doesn't involve visiting a club to see other people my generation.”

An Activity Reborn: Chess in the Contemporary Age

Lately, chess has been firmly established in the societal zeitgeist. Its appeal of online chess expanded rapidly throughout the global health crisis, making it one of the fastest-growing online pastimes in the world. Across media, the streaming series a hit show, as well as Sally Rooney’s recent novel Intermezzo, have created a distinct imagery associated with the game, which has attracted a new generation of players.

But much of this newfound 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 someone who could be a complete stranger.

“It is a great Trojan horse,” remarked Jonah Freud, founder of a local venue in London, a bookstore, library, coffee house and lounge, which has hosted a popular chess club weekly since it opened several years back. His objective is to “remove chess off a pedestal and transform it into like billiards in a casual pub”.

“It is a really easy tool to get to know people. It somewhat takes the weight of the necessity of small talk away from interacting with people. One can handle the uncomfortable part of making an introduction and talking to a new acquaintance across a game rather than with no kind of context around it.”

Expanding the Community: Chess Nights Beyond London

In Birmingham, Chesscafé is a regular chess event held at York’s Cafe, near the downtown area. “We found that people are looking for places where one can go out, interact and have a good time outside of going to a bar or nightclub,” stated its founder and organiser, a young leader, 21.

Alongside his associate Abdirahim Haji, 21, he purchased game sets, created promotional materials and started the chess club in January, during his last year of university. In less than a year, Singh said Chesscafé has grown to draw more than 100 young players to its gatherings.

“Such a venue has a specific connotation to it, about it being quiet. We really try to move in the opposite way; it's a convivial party with chess involved,” he said.

Discovering and Playing: A New Cohort of Players

For many, chess clubs are an entry point to the activity. Zoë Kezia, 27, is picking up how to participate in chess with fellow visitors of chess night at the venue. She became curious in the pastime was piqued after an pleasurable night dancing and engaging in chess at one of Knight Club's events.

“It's a unique concept, but it functions well,” she said. “It promotes face-to-face exchanges instead of screen-based activities. It is a no-cost third space to encounter strangers. It is inviting, one doesn't have to necessarily be skilled at chess.”

She humorously compared the popularity of chess among young people to the superficial image of the “performative male”, an effort to feign braininess while projecting the appearance of “hipness”. Whether the chess craze has cultivated a genuine interest in the game isn't something she's quite convinced by. “It is a wholesome phenomenon, but it’s very much a trend,” she said. “Once you compete against opponents who are really dedicated about it, it rapidly turns less enjoyable.”

Competitive Play and Community

It might seem like a bit of fun and games for those looking to use a chessboard as a social vehicle, but competitive players certainly have their place, albeit off the dancefloor.

Another organizer, 22, who helps organise the club,says that increasingly competitive players have formed a competitive ranking. “People who are part of the competition will play each other, we will go to quarter-finals, semi-finals, and then we'll eventually have a champion.”

Ryames Chan, 23, is a serious competitor and chess teacher. He joined the competition for about a twelve months and plays at the club nearly every week. “This offers a nice alternative to engaging in intense chess; it gives a feeling of community,” he said.

“It is fascinating to observe how it becomes increasingly a social pastime, because in the past the sole individuals who played chess were those who rarely go outside; they simply stayed home. It is usually just a pair playing on a game board …

“What I like about here is that you're not really facing the computer, you are facing live opponents.”