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Among the liveliest locations on a weekday night in east London's famous street couldn't be a restaurant or a streetwear label temporary shop, it is a chess club – or rather a chess club-nightclub fusion, to be exact.

Knight Club represents the surprising fusion between the classic game and the city's fervent nightlife scene. It was founded by Yusuf Ntahilaja, 27, who launched his first chess club in the summer of 2023 at a more intimate bar in a nearby area, a short distance from the present location at Café 1001 on the iconic lane.

“I wanted to make chess clubs for people who look like me and people my age,” he said. “Typically, chess is only placed in spaces that are full of older people, which isn't diverse enough.”

On the first night, there were just eight boards shared by 16 people. Today, a “good night” at the weekly club event will draw approximately 280 people.

At first glance, Knight Club seems closer to a music night than a traditional chess meeting. Cocktails are flowing and music is in the air, but the game boards on each table aren't just decorative or there as a gimmick: they are all in use and surrounded by a line of onlookers waiting for their turn.

Jimmy Ifenayi, in her mid-twenties, has been attending Knight Club often for the last four months. “I possessed little understanding of chess prior to I came here, and the first time I tried it, I competed in a game with a grandmaster. That was a swift win, but it left me intrigued to learn and continue enjoying chess,” she noted.

“The event is about 50% networking and 50% participants genuinely wanting to engage in chess … It is a pleasant way to decompress, which doesn't involve visiting a club to meet other people my age.”

An Activity Revitalized: Chess in the Contemporary Era

Lately, chess has been cemented in the societal zeitgeist. Its appeal of online chess expanded rapidly during the global health crisis, making it one of the fastest-growing internet games globally. In popular culture, the Netflix series a hit show, as well as the author's latest novel Intermezzo, have created a distinct imagery surrounding the sport, which has attracted a fresh generation of enthusiasts.

But a great deal of this newfound attraction of the chess club isn't necessarily about the intricacies of the play; rather, it is the simplicity of connecting with others that it facilitates, by taking a chair and playing with someone who could be a total unknown individual.

“It's a great Trojan horse,” said Jonah Freud, founder of a local venue in the city, a bookstore, library, cafe and bar, which has hosted a popular chess club every Wednesday since it opened several years back. His objective is to “take chess off a pedestal and make it feel similar to pool in a dive bar”.

“It's a very easy vehicle to meet people. It kind of removes the pressure of the necessity of conversation from socializing with people. One can handle the awkward part of making an introduction and talking to a new acquaintance over a board rather than with no shared activity involved.”

Expanding the Network: Social Gatherings Beyond the Capital

In Birmingham, Chesscafé is a regular chess night held at York’s Cafe, near the city centre. “Our observation was that individuals are looking for spaces where one can go out, socialise and have a fun evening beyond visiting a bar or club,” stated its creator and organiser, a young leader, in his early twenties.

Alongside 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, Singh reported their event has expanded to draw more than 100 young players to its events.

“A chess club has a specific connotation associated with it, about it being quiet. We really try to go the opposite direction; it's a social get-together with chess as part of it,” he said.

Learning and Playing: A New Cohort of Chess Enthusiasts

For many, chess clubs are an introduction to the game. One participant, 27, is learning how to participate in chess with fellow attenders of chess night at Reference Point. Her interest in the game was sparked after an enjoyable evening moving to music and playing chess at a previous the club's events.

“It's a strange idea, but it works,” she said. “It promotes face-to-face interactions rather than screen-based pastimes. It is a free third space to meet strangers. It is welcoming, one doesn't need to necessarily be skilled at chess.”

She jokingly likened the trendiness of chess among young people to the superficial image of the “ostentatious intellectual”, an attempt to simulate intellectualism while projecting the veneer of “hipness”. If the chess trend has cultivated a authentic interest in the game is not something she's quite convinced by. “It's a positive trend, but it’s largely a fad,” she said. “When you're playing with people who are truly serious about it, it quickly turns less fun.”

Competitive Play and Community

It may seem like a bit of lighthearted activity for individuals looking to use a game set as a networking tool, but competitive players certainly have their role, albeit away from the dancefloor.

Another organizer, 22, who assists in running Knight Club,says that more skilled attenders have formed a league table. “Participants who are part of the competition will face one another, we'll progress to quarter-finals, semi-finals, and then we will finally have a league winner.”

A dedicated player, 23, is a serious competitor and chess instructor. He has been the competition for about a twelve months and participates at the club almost every week. “This is a welcome alternative to engaging in intense chess; it gives a sense of belonging,” he expressed.

“It's interesting to see how it becomes increasingly a communal pastime, because in the past the only people who played chess were those who didn't go outside; they just remained home. It's usually only two people competing on a chessboard …

“The thing appeals to me about here is that you're not really facing the digital opponent, you're engaging with real people.”