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One of the most energetic spots on a weekday night in east London's Brick Lane couldn't be a dining spot or a streetwear label temporary shop, it is a chess gathering – or rather a chess and nightlife fusion, precisely speaking.

This unique venue embodies the unlikely fusion between chess and the city's dynamic nightlife culture. It was founded by Yusuf Ntahilaja, in his late twenties, who began his initial chess club in the summer of 2023 at a more intimate bar in Aldgate, not too far from the present location at Café 1001 on Brick Lane.

“My goal was to create chess clubs for individuals who share my background and people my generation,” he said. “Typically, chess is only placed in spaces that are full of older people, which is not inclusive enough.”

On the first night, there were only 8 boards between 16 people. Now, a “good night” at the weekly club event will attract approximately 280 attendees.

At first glance, the venue seems closer to a music night than a traditional chess meeting. Cocktails are flowing and tunes is in the air, but the chessboards on every table are not just decorative or there as a gimmick: they are all occupied and encircled by a line of spectators waiting for their chance to play.

One regular, 24, has been attending Knight Club often for the past four months. “I had no knowledge of chess prior to my first visit, and the initial occasion I tried it, I competed in a game with a grandmaster. It was a swift victory, but it left me intrigued to learn and continue enjoying chess,” she said.

“The event is about half social and 50% participants genuinely wanting to engage in chess … It is a pleasant way to unwind, which doesn't involve going to a club to see other people my generation.”

A Game Reborn: Chess in the Modern Era

In recent years, chess has been firmly established in the cultural zeitgeist. Its appeal of digital chess expanded rapidly during the global health crisis, establishing it as one of the most rapidly expanding internet pastimes globally. In popular culture, the Netflix series a hit show, as well as Sally Rooney’s recent novel Intermezzo, have crafted a certain imagery associated with the sport, which has attracted a new wave of enthusiasts.

But much of this newfound appeal of the chess club isn't always about the intricacies of the game; instead, it is the simplicity of connecting with others that it facilitates, by taking a chair and playing with a person who may be a complete stranger.

“It's a brilliant clever disguise,” remarked Jonah Freud, founder of Reference Point in the city, a bookshop, reading room, coffee house and lounge, which has organized a popular chess club every Wednesday since it began several years back. His objective is to “take chess from its elite status and transform it into similar to pool in a dive bar”.

“It is a very easy tool to meet people. It kind of takes the pressure of the necessity of conversation from interacting with people. One can do the awkward bit of making an introduction and talking to a new acquaintance across a board instead of with no shared activity around it.”

Growing the Community: Chess Nights Beyond London

Elsewhere in the UK, a similar initiative is a recurring chess event taking place at York’s Cafe, just outside the downtown area. “Our observation was that people are looking for spaces where you can go out, interact and have a fun evening beyond visiting a pub or club,” said its founder and organiser, a young leader, 21.

Alongside his friend a partner, also young, he bought chessboards, created flyers and started the chess club in January, while in his last year of college. In less than a year, he said Chesscafé has grown to attract more than one hundred youthful players to its events.

“A chess club has a particular connotation associated with it, about it being quiet. We really try to move in the opposite way; it is a convivial party with chess involved,” he emphasized.

Discovering and Playing: An Alternative Generation 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 visitors of chess night at Reference Point. She became curious in the game was sparked after an enjoyable evening moving to music and engaging in chess at a previous Knight Club's occasions.

“It's a strange concept, but it functions well,” she commented. “It encourages face-to-face exchanges rather than digital activities. It is a free third space to meet strangers. It is welcoming, one doesn't need to necessarily be skilled at chess.”

She jokingly compared the trendiness of chess with young people to the superficial image of the “ostentatious intellectual”, an attempt to simulate braininess while projecting the veneer of “hipness”. If the chess trend has cultivated a authentic passion in the sport is not something she is quite convinced by. “It is a positive phenomenon, but it’s largely a fad,” she said. “Once you compete with people who are really serious about it, it quickly turns less enjoyable.”

Competitive Gaming and Togetherness

It may all be a bit of fun and games for individuals looking to use a chessboard as a social vehicle, but competitive participants do have their role, albeit away from the main party area.

Another organizer, 22, who helps organise Knight Club,explains that increasingly competitive players have established a league table. “Participants who are in the league will play each other, we will go to early rounds, semi-finals, and then we will finally have a league winner.”

Ryames Chan, 23, is a serious competitor and chess teacher. He has been the competition for about a year and plays at the club almost every week. “This offers a welcome alternative to engaging in serious chess; it provides a sense of belonging,” he said.

“It is fascinating to see how it evolves into increasingly a communal pastime, because previously the sole individuals who engaged in chess were those who didn't socialize; they simply remained home. It's typically just two people competing on a game board …

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