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Among the most energetic spots on a Tuesday night in east London's Brick Lane isn't a dining spot or a streetwear label temporary shop, it is a chess gathering – or a chess club-nightclub fusion, precisely speaking.

This unique venue embodies the unlikely crossover between the classic game and the city's dynamic evening entertainment scene. It was founded by a young entrepreneur, in his late twenties, who launched his first chess club in the summer of 2023 at a more intimate bar in Aldgate, a short distance from the present location at a popular cafe on Brick Lane.

“I wanted to make chess clubs for individuals who share my background and those my generation,” he said. “Usually, chess is only placed in environments that are dominated by older people, which is not inclusive sufficiently.”

On the first night, there were just eight boards between 16 people. Today, a “good night” at the weekly club event will draw about two hundred eighty people.

Upon arrival, the venue seems more like a DJ event than a traditional chess meeting. Mixed drinks are being served and music is in the air, 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 Knight Club regularly for the past several months. “I possessed little understanding of chess prior to my first visit, and the first time I tried it, I competed in a game with a expert player. It was a quick victory, but it left me fascinated to study and continue enjoying chess,” she said.

“The event is about 50% social and half participants actually wanting to play chess … It's a pleasant way to unwind, which avoids visiting a typical nightspot to see others my age.”

A Game Reborn: Chess in the Contemporary Age

Lately, chess has been cemented in the cultural zeitgeist. Its appeal of digital chess proliferated throughout the global health crisis, establishing it as one of the fastest-growing internet games in the world. Across media, the streaming series a hit show, as well as the author's recent novel Intermezzo, have crafted a distinct imagery surrounding the game, which has drawn in a new wave of enthusiasts.

But much of this newfound attraction of the chess club is not always about the intricacies of the game; 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's a great clever disguise,” remarked Jonah Freud, founder of a local venue in the city, a bookshop, library, coffee house and lounge, which has organized a popular chess club every Wednesday since it began several years back. His aim is to “take chess off a pedestal and make it feel like pool in a dive bar”.

“It is a very simple vehicle to get to know people. It kind of removes the pressure of the need of small talk away from interacting with people. One can handle the uncomfortable bit of making an introduction and talking to someone across a board rather than with no kind of context around it.”

Growing the Community: Social Gatherings Beyond the Capital

In Birmingham, Chesscafé is a recurring chess night taking place at York’s Cafe, just outside the city centre. “Our observation was that people are seeking spaces where you can socialize, socialise and have a fun evening beyond going to a pub or nightclub,” stated its founder and coordinator, Karan Singh, 21.

Together with his friend Abdirahim Haji, also young, he purchased chessboards, created flyers and began the chess club in January, during his last year of college. Within months, he reported their event has expanded to attract over 100 youthful participants to its events.

“A chess club has a specific reputation associated with it, about it being reserved. We really try to go the opposite direction; it is a convivial get-together with chess involved,” he said.

Learning and Playing: An Alternative Generation of Chess Enthusiasts

For many, chess clubs are an entry point to the game. One participant, 27, is learning how to play chess with other visitors of the weekly event at Reference Point. She became curious in the pastime was piqued after an enjoyable night moving to music and playing chess at a previous the club's events.

“It is a strange concept, but it works,” she said. “It encourages in-person exchanges rather than screen-based activities. It's a free third space to meet strangers. It is welcoming, you don't need to necessarily be good at chess.”

She jokingly compared the popularity of chess among young people to the superficial image of the “performative male”, an effort to simulate braininess while signaling the veneer of “coolness”. If the chess trend has cultivated a authentic passion in the game is not something she is entirely convinced by. “It's a wholesome phenomenon, but it’s very much a trend,” she said. “Once you compete against opponents who are really serious about it, it quickly turns less enjoyable.”

Competitive Play and Community

It might seem like a bit of lighthearted activity for individuals looking to use a chessboard as a social vehicle, but serious participants certainly have their role, even if away from the dancefloor.

Another organizer, 22, who assists in organise the club,says that increasingly competitive attenders have formed a league table. “People who are in the league will play each other, we will progress to quarter-finals, semi-finals, and then we will eventually have a champion.”

A dedicated player, 23, is a competitive player and chess instructor. He joined the competition for about a twelve months and plays at the club nearly weekly. “This is a nice alternative to playing intense chess; it provides a sense of community,” he expressed.

“It's fascinating to observe how it becomes more of a social activity, because in the past the only individuals who played chess were people who didn't go outside; they just remained home. It's usually only a pair playing on a chessboard …

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