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One of the most vibrant venues on a Tuesday night in east London's famous street couldn't be a restaurant or a urban fashion brand temporary shop, it is a chess gathering – or rather a chess club-nightclub fusion, precisely speaking.

This unique venue represents the surprising crossover between the classic game and London's dynamic nightlife culture. It was founded by a young entrepreneur, in his late twenties, who began his initial chess club in the summer of 2023 at a more intimate bar in a nearby area, 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. “Typically, chess is only placed in spaces that are dominated by older people, which is not diverse enough.”

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

At first glance, the venue seems more like a DJ event than a traditional chess meeting. Mixed drinks are flowing and music is in the air, but the game boards on each table are not just ornamental or there as a novelty: they are all occupied and surrounded by a line of spectators eagerly anticipating for their turn.

Jimmy Ifenayi, 24, has frequented the club regularly for the past four months. “I had no knowledge of chess prior to my first visit, and the first time I tried it, I played a game against a expert player. It was a quick win, but it left me fascinated to learn and keep playing chess,” she noted.

“This gathering is about half networking and 50% participants genuinely wishing to engage in chess … It is a nice way to unwind, which doesn't involve visiting a club to see others my age.”

An Activity Revitalized: Chess in the Modern Era

In recent years, chess has been cemented in the cultural zeitgeist. Its appeal of digital chess proliferated during the pandemic, making it one of the most rapidly expanding online games in the world. Across media, the streaming series The Queen’s Gambit, as well as the author's latest novel a literary work, have created a distinct imagery associated with the game, which has attracted a fresh wave of enthusiasts.

But much of this recent appeal of the chess night isn't always about the technicalities of the game; instead, it is the simplicity of social interaction that it facilitates, by taking a chair and playing with someone who may be a total stranger.

“It is a great clever disguise,” remarked one organizer, co-founder of Reference Point in London, a bookshop, reading room, cafe and bar, which has organized a well-attended chess club every Wednesday since it opened several years back. His objective is to “remove chess off a pedestal and transform it into like pool in a dive bar”.

“It's a very simple tool to meet people. It somewhat takes the pressure of the need of conversation away from interacting with people. You can handle the uncomfortable part of introducing yourself and talking to a new acquaintance over a game rather than with no shared activity around it.”

Growing the Community: Social Gatherings Beyond the Capital

In Birmingham, a similar initiative is a recurring chess event taking place at a city cafe, near the downtown area. “Our observation was that individuals are looking for spaces where one can socialize, socialise and have a fun evening outside of visiting a pub or nightclub,” stated its founder and organiser, a young leader, in his early twenties.

Alongside his friend Abdirahim Haji, 21, Singh bought game sets, printed flyers and started the chess club in January, while in his last year of university. Within months, he said their event has expanded to draw more than one hundred youthful players to its events.

“Such a venue has a specific connotation to it, about it seeming reserved. Our approach is to move in the opposite direction; it is a convivial get-together with chess as part of it,” he said.

Discovering and Playing: An Alternative Generation of Chess Enthusiasts

For many, chess clubs are an entry point to the game. Zoë Kezia, in her late twenties, is learning how to play chess with fellow visitors of the weekly event at the venue. Her interest in the game was sparked after an enjoyable evening dancing and playing chess at one of Knight Club's occasions.

“It's a unique idea, but it works,” she said. “It encourages face-to-face interactions rather than screen-based pastimes. It is a free neutral ground to meet new people. It's inviting, you don't need to necessarily be skilled at chess.”

She humorously compared the popularity of chess with the youth to the superficial image of the “ostentatious intellectual”, an attempt to feign intellectualism while projecting the appearance of “hipness”. Whether the chess craze has cultivated a authentic interest in the sport isn't something she's entirely sure about. “It is a wholesome trend, but it’s largely a trend,” she said. “When you compete against people who are truly dedicated about it, it quickly turns less fun.”

Competitive Gaming and Togetherness

It may all be a bit of lighthearted activity for those looking to use a game set as a social vehicle, but competitive participants certainly have their place, albeit off the dancefloor.

Another organizer, 22, who assists in running Knight Club,explains that more competitive players have established a competitive ranking. “Participants who are part of the competition will play each other, we will go to early rounds, semi-finals, and then we will eventually have a league winner.”

A dedicated player, 23, is a competitive competitor and chess instructor. He joined the competition for about a year and participates at the club nearly weekly. “This is a welcome option to engaging in intense chess; it gives a feeling of belonging,” he expressed.

“It's interesting to observe how it evolves into more of a communal pastime, because previously the sole people who engaged in chess were people who didn't socialize; they simply remained home. It's typically only a pair playing on a chessboard …

“What appeals to me about this place is that one isn't really playing against the computer, you are engaging with live opponents.”