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One of the most energetic spots on a Tuesday night in the East End's Brick Lane isn't a restaurant or a streetwear brand temporary shop, it is a chess club – or a chess club-nightclub combination, precisely speaking.

Knight Club represents the surprising blend between the classic game and London's dynamic nightlife scene. It was founded by a young entrepreneur, 27, 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 Brick Lane.

“My goal was to make chess clubs for individuals who look like me and people my age,” he explained. “Usually, chess is only placed in spaces that are full of senior individuals, which is not inclusive enough.”

On the first night, there were only 8 boards shared by sixteen people. Now, a “successful evening” at the weekly Knight Club will attract approximately 280 people.

Upon arrival, Knight Club seems more like a DJ event than a traditional chess meeting. Mixed drinks are flowing and music is in the air, but the chessboards on each table are not just decorative or there as a novelty: they are all occupied and surrounded by a line of spectators waiting for their chance to play.

One regular, 24, has been attending Knight Club regularly for the last several months. “I had little understanding of chess before my first visit, and the first time I ever played, I competed in a game with a grandmaster. It was a quick victory, but it made me intrigued to study and keep playing chess,” she said.

“This gathering is about half social and half people actually wishing to play chess … It is a pleasant way to unwind, which avoids visiting a club to see others my age.”

An Activity Reborn: Chess in the Contemporary Era

In recent years, chess has been firmly established in the societal zeitgeist. Its appeal of online chess proliferated throughout the pandemic, making it one of the fastest-growing online games globally. Across media, the streaming series The Queen’s Gambit, along with the author's latest novel Intermezzo, have created a certain imagery associated with the game, which has drawn in a new generation of players.

However a great deal of this newfound attraction of the chess night is not always about the intricacies of the play; rather, it is the simplicity of connecting with others that it facilitates, by taking a seat and engaging with someone who may be a total unknown individual.

“It's a brilliant Trojan horse,” said one organizer, founder of a local venue in London, a bookstore, library, coffee house and bar, which has organized a well-attended chess club weekly since it opened four years ago. His objective is to “remove chess from its elite status and make it feel similar to billiards in a dive bar”.

“It is a really simple tool to get to know people. It somewhat takes the pressure of the need of small talk away from socializing with people. One can do the awkward bit of making an introduction and chatting to a new acquaintance across a board rather than with no context around it.”

Expanding the Community: Social Gatherings Outside the Capital

In Birmingham, Chesscafé is a regular chess event held at a city cafe, near the city centre. “Our observation was that individuals are seeking spaces where you can socialize, interact and have a good time beyond visiting a pub or nightclub,” stated its founder and organiser, Karan Singh, 21.

Together with his friend Abdirahim Haji, 21, Singh bought chessboards, created flyers and started the chess club in January, during his final year of college. Within months, he reported Chesscafé has expanded to attract more than 100 youthful participants to its events.

“A chess club has a particular connotation to it, about it being reserved. Our approach is to move in the opposite way; it is a convivial get-together with chess involved,” he said.

Discovering and Engaging: A New Generation of Chess Enthusiasts

For many, chess clubs are an entry point to the game. Zoë Kezia, 27, is picking up how to participate in chess with other attenders of chess night at the venue. She became curious in the pastime was sparked after an pleasurable evening dancing and engaging in chess at a previous Knight Club's events.

“It is a unique concept, but it functions well,” she commented. “It encourages in-person exchanges instead of digital pastimes. It is a free neutral ground to meet strangers. It is welcoming, you don't have to necessarily be skilled at chess.”

She jokingly compared the popularity of chess with young people to the facade of the “performative male”, an effort to feign braininess while signaling the appearance of “coolness”. Whether the chess craze has cultivated a genuine passion in the sport is not something she's entirely sure about. “It's a positive trend, but it’s largely a trend,” she observed. “Once you compete with people who are truly serious about it, it rapidly becomes less fun.”

Serious Play and Togetherness

It might all be a some fun and games for individuals aiming to employ a game set as a networking tool, but serious participants do have their place, albeit away from the main party area.

Another organizer, 22, who helps organise Knight Club,explains that more competitive attenders have established a league table. “Participants who are part of the competition will play each other, we will progress to quarter-finals, advanced stages, and then we will finally have a league winner.”

A dedicated player, 23, is a competitive competitor and chess teacher. He has been in the league for about a twelve months and plays at the club almost weekly. “This offers a welcome alternative to engaging in serious chess; it gives a sense of community,” he said.

“It's fascinating to observe how it evolves into increasingly a social pastime, because in the past the sole individuals who played chess were those who didn't socialize; they simply remained home. It's usually just a pair playing on a game board …

“What appeals to me about this place is that you're not really playing against the digital opponent, you are engaging with live opponents.”