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One of the most energetic spots on a Tuesday night in east London's famous street couldn't be a restaurant or a streetwear label pop-up, it is a chess gathering – or rather a chess and nightlife fusion, to be exact.

This unique venue represents the unlikely blend between chess and London's fervent evening entertainment scene. It was founded by Yusuf Ntahilaja, in his late twenties, who launched his initial chess club in August 2023 at a smaller bar in a nearby area, not too far from the present location at a popular cafe on the iconic lane.

“I wanted to create chess clubs for individuals who share my background and those my age,” he said. “Typically, chess is only put in spaces that are dominated by senior individuals, which isn't 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 about 280 attendees.

At first glance, Knight Club feels closer to a DJ event than a chess club. Cocktails are being served and music is playing, but the chessboards on every table aren't just decorative or there as a gimmick: they are all in use and encircled by a queue of spectators waiting for their turn.

Jimmy Ifenayi, in her mid-twenties, has been attending the club often for the last four months. “I possessed no knowledge of chess before I came here, and the initial occasion I tried it, I competed in a game against a grandmaster. It was a quick win, but it made me fascinated to learn and keep playing chess,” she noted.

“This gathering is about half networking and half people actually wanting to engage in chess … It's a pleasant way to relax, which avoids visiting a typical nightspot to meet other people my generation.”

An Activity Revitalized: The Ancient Game in the Contemporary Era

In recent years, chess has been firmly established in the societal zeitgeist. Its appeal of online chess proliferated during the global health crisis, making it one of the most rapidly expanding online games globally. Across media, the streaming series a hit show, as well as Sally Rooney’s latest novel Intermezzo, have created a distinct iconography associated with the game, which has drawn in a new generation of enthusiasts.

However a great deal of this newfound attraction of the chess club isn't necessarily about the technicalities of the play; rather, it is the ease of connecting with others that it enables, by taking a chair and engaging with a person who may be a complete stranger.

“It is a great Trojan horse,” remarked one organizer, co-founder of Reference Point in London, a bookstore, reading room, cafe and bar, which has organized a well-attended chess club every Wednesday since it began several years back. His objective is to “remove chess off a pedestal and make it feel like pool in a casual pub”.

“It's a very simple tool to get to know people. It somewhat takes the weight of the necessity of conversation from interacting with people. You can do the awkward part of making an introduction and talking to someone over a board rather than with no context around it.”

Growing the Network: Chess Nights Outside the Capital

In Birmingham, Chesscafé is a recurring chess event taking place at York’s Cafe, near the city centre. “Our observation was that individuals are looking for spaces where one can socialize, socialise and enjoy a fun evening outside of going to a bar or nightclub,” stated its founder and coordinator, Karan Singh, in his early twenties.

Alongside his friend a partner, also young, he purchased chessboards, printed flyers and started the chess club in the start of the year, during his final year of university. In less than a year, he said Chesscafé has grown to attract more than 100 young players to its events.

“Such a venue has a specific connotation to it, about it seeming quiet. We really try to go the contrary way; it's a social party with chess involved,” he said.

Learning and Engaging: A New Cohort of Players

For many, chess clubs are an entry point to the activity. One participant, 27, is learning how to play chess with other visitors of chess night at Reference Point. Her interest in the game was piqued after an enjoyable night dancing and engaging in chess at a previous the club's events.

“It is a unique concept, but it functions well,” she said. “It promotes face-to-face exchanges instead of screen-based pastimes. It's a no-cost neutral ground to encounter new people. It is inviting, one doesn't have to necessarily be good at chess.”

Kezia jokingly compared the popularity of chess with young people to the superficial image of the “ostentatious intellectual”, an effort to feign braininess while signaling the veneer of “coolness”. Whether the chess trend has fostered a authentic passion in the sport isn't something she is entirely convinced by. “It is a wholesome phenomenon, but it’s very much a fad,” she observed. “Once you're playing against opponents who are really dedicated about it, it rapidly becomes less fun.”

Serious Gaming and Togetherness

It may all be a some fun and games for those aiming to employ a chessboard as a social vehicle, but competitive participants certainly have their role, even if away from the dancefloor.

Another organizer, in her early twenties, who assists in organise Knight Club,explains that more skilled players have formed a competitive ranking. “Participants who are in the league will play each other, we'll progress to early rounds, advanced stages, and then we will finally have a league winner.”

A dedicated player, in his twenties, is a serious competitor and chess teacher. He joined in the league for about a twelve months and plays at the club almost every week. “This is a nice alternative to playing serious chess; it gives a feeling of community,” he said.

“It's fascinating to see how it evolves into increasingly a communal pastime, because previously the only people who played chess were people who rarely socialize; they just stayed home. It's typically just two people playing on a game board …

“What appeals to me about here is that you're not actually facing the computer, you're facing live opponents.”