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One of the liveliest venues on a Tuesday evening in east London's famous street isn't a dining spot or a urban fashion brand temporary shop, it's a chess gathering – or rather a chess and nightlife combination, precisely speaking.

Knight Club embodies the unlikely fusion between chess and the city's fervent nightlife scene. It was started by Yusuf Ntahilaja, in his late twenties, who began his initial chess club in August 2023 at a more intimate bar in Aldgate, a short distance from the current location at a popular cafe on the iconic lane.

“I wanted to create chess clubs for individuals who share my background and people my age,” he said. “Usually, chess is only put in spaces that are full of older people, which isn't inclusive sufficiently.”

Initially, there were just 8 boards shared by 16 people. Now, a “good night” at the regular Knight Club will draw approximately 280 people.

Upon arrival, the venue seems more like a music night than a chess club. Mixed drinks are flowing and tunes is in the air, but the game boards on every table aren't just ornamental or there as a novelty: they are all in use and encircled by a line of spectators eagerly anticipating for their turn.

Jimmy Ifenayi, 24, has frequented Knight Club often for the past several months. “I possessed little understanding of chess prior to I came here, and the first time I ever played, I competed in a game against a grandmaster. That was a quick victory, but it made me intrigued to learn and continue enjoying chess,” she noted.

“This gathering is about half social and half participants genuinely wishing to engage in chess … It's a nice way to relax, which doesn't involve going to a club to see other people my generation.”

An Activity Reborn: Chess in the Modern Era

In recent years, chess has been firmly established in the societal zeitgeist. Its appeal of online chess expanded rapidly throughout the pandemic, making it one of the fastest-growing online games globally. Across media, the streaming series a hit show, as well as the author's latest novel Intermezzo, have created a distinct imagery surrounding the game, which has attracted a new generation of players.

However a great deal of this newfound attraction of the chess club isn't necessarily about the intricacies of the game; rather, it is the simplicity of social interaction that it facilitates, by taking a chair and engaging with someone who could be a total unknown individual.

“It's a great clever disguise,” remarked one organizer, co-founder of a local venue in the city, a bookstore, reading room, cafe and bar, which has organized a well-attended chess club every Wednesday since it opened four years ago. His aim is to “remove chess off a pedestal and make it feel like pool in a casual pub”.

“It's a very simple vehicle to meet people. It somewhat takes the pressure of the need of small talk from interacting with people. You can do the uncomfortable part of introducing yourself and talking to a new acquaintance across a game instead of with no kind of shared activity around it.”

Growing the Community: Chess Nights Beyond the Capital

In Birmingham, Chesscafé is a recurring chess event taking place at a city cafe, just outside the downtown area. “Our observation was that people are seeking places where one can socialize, interact and enjoy a fun evening outside of going to a pub or club,” stated its creator and organiser, Karan Singh, in his early twenties.

Together with his friend a partner, 21, Singh bought game sets, created flyers and began the chess club in January, during his final year of university. Within months, he reported Chesscafé has grown to attract more than 100 young players to its events.

“Such a venue has a specific connotation to it, about it being quiet. Our approach is to move in the opposite direction; it's a social get-together with chess involved,” he said.

Learning and Engaging: A New Cohort of Players

Among numerous attendees, chess clubs are an introduction to the game. Zoë Kezia, in her late twenties, is picking up how to play chess with other visitors of chess night at Reference Point. She became curious in the game was sparked after an pleasurable evening moving to music and engaging in chess at one of the club's events.

“It is a strange idea, but it functions well,” she commented. “It encourages in-person interactions instead of screen-based pastimes. It's a free third space to meet strangers. It's welcoming, one doesn't have to necessarily be good at chess.”

Kezia humorously likened the trendiness of chess among young people to the facade of the “ostentatious intellectual”, an attempt to simulate braininess while projecting the appearance of “coolness”. Whether the chess craze has fostered a authentic passion in the sport is not a notion she is entirely convinced by. “It is a positive trend, but it’s largely a trend,” she observed. “When you're playing against opponents who are truly dedicated about it, it quickly turns less enjoyable.”

Competitive Gaming and Community

It may all be a some fun and games for individuals looking to use a chessboard as a networking tool, but serious players do have their place, even if away from the dancefloor.

Another organizer, in her early twenties, who helps organise Knight Club,explains that increasingly skilled players have formed a league table. “People who are part of the competition will face one another, we will go to quarter-finals, advanced stages, and then we will finally have a league winner.”

Ryames Chan, 23, is a competitive competitor and chess instructor. He joined in the league for about a year and plays at the club almost weekly. “This offers a welcome option to playing intense chess; it provides a feeling of belonging,” he said.

“It is interesting to see how it evolves into more of a social activity, because previously the only people who engaged in chess were people who didn't go outside; they simply remained home. It is usually just a pair playing on a chessboard …

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