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Among the most energetic spots on a weekday night in east London's Brick Lane isn't a restaurant or a streetwear label temporary shop, it is a chess gathering – or a chess club-nightclub fusion, to be exact.

Knight Club represents the unlikely blend between chess and London's dynamic nightlife scene. It was founded by Yusuf Ntahilaja, in his late twenties, who began his initial chess club in the summer of 2023 at a smaller bar in a nearby area, not too far from the present location at Café 1001 on the iconic lane.

“I wanted to make chess clubs for individuals who look like me and those my age,” he explained. “Usually, chess is only put in spaces that are dominated by older people, which is not inclusive enough.”

Initially, there were only 8 boards between sixteen people. Today, a “successful evening” at the weekly Knight Club will draw approximately 280 people.

Upon arrival, the venue feels more like a music night than a traditional chess meeting. Cocktails are being served and music is in the air, but the chessboards on each table are not just ornamental or there as a novelty: they are all occupied and encircled by a queue of spectators waiting for their turn.

One regular, 24, has been attending the club regularly for the past four months. “I possessed no knowledge of chess before I came here, and the initial occasion I tried it, I competed in a game against a grandmaster. It was a quick victory, but it made me fascinated to study and keep playing chess,” she said.

“The event is about 50% networking and 50% people genuinely wanting to play chess … It's a nice way to decompress, which doesn't involve going to a typical nightspot to see others my age.”

A Game Revitalized: The Ancient Game in the Modern Era

Lately, chess has been firmly established in the cultural zeitgeist. Its appeal of online chess expanded rapidly throughout the global health crisis, establishing it as one of the most rapidly expanding online pastimes globally. In popular culture, the Netflix series The Queen’s Gambit, as well as Sally Rooney’s recent novel Intermezzo, have created a distinct imagery associated with the sport, which has drawn in a new wave of enthusiasts.

But a great deal of this newfound attraction of the chess club isn't always about the intricacies of the play; rather, it is the ease of social interaction that it facilitates, by taking a seat and playing with someone who could be a total stranger.

“It is a brilliant clever disguise,” said Jonah Freud, co-founder of a local venue in the city, a bookstore, library, cafe and lounge, which has organized a popular chess club weekly since it began several years back. Freud’s objective is to “remove chess from its elite status and make it feel like pool in a casual pub”.

“It's a very simple tool to meet people. It somewhat takes the weight of the necessity of conversation from socializing with people. One can handle the awkward part of introducing yourself and chatting to a new acquaintance across a game rather than with no kind of context around it.”

Expanding the Community: Chess Nights Beyond the Capital

Elsewhere in the UK, a similar initiative is a recurring chess night taking place at York’s Cafe, just outside the city centre. “We found that individuals are looking for places where one can go out, socialise and have a fun evening outside of going to a bar or nightclub,” said its founder and organiser, Karan Singh, in his early twenties.

Together with his friend Abdirahim Haji, also young, Singh bought game sets, created promotional materials and began the chess club in the start of the year, during his final year of college. In less than a year, he reported their event has grown to draw over 100 youthful players to its events.

“Such a venue has a specific reputation to it, about it seeming quiet. Our approach is to move in the contrary way; it is a convivial party with chess as part of it,” he emphasized.

Learning and Playing: An Alternative Generation of Players

For many, chess clubs are an entry point to the activity. One participant, in her late twenties, is learning how to play chess with other visitors of chess night at the venue. Her interest in the game was sparked after an pleasurable evening dancing and playing chess at one of Knight Club's events.

“It's a unique idea, but it functions well,” she said. “It promotes face-to-face exchanges instead of screen-based activities. It's a no-cost third space to encounter strangers. It's inviting, you don't need to necessarily be skilled at chess.”

Kezia jokingly compared the popularity of chess among the youth to the superficial image of the “ostentatious intellectual”, an effort to simulate intellectualism while projecting the appearance of “coolness”. If the chess craze has cultivated a genuine interest in the sport isn't a notion she is entirely convinced by. “It's a positive trend, but it’s very much a fad,” she said. “When you're playing against opponents who are truly dedicated about it, it quickly becomes less enjoyable.”

Competitive Gaming and Togetherness

It might all be a bit of lighthearted activity for individuals looking to use a chessboard as a networking tool, but competitive players do have their role, even if away from the main party area.

Another organizer, 22, who assists in running the club,explains that more competitive attenders have formed a league table. “People who are part of the competition will play one another, we'll go to quarter-finals, advanced stages, and then we will eventually have a league winner.”

A dedicated player, 23, is a competitive competitor and chess instructor. He joined in the league for about a year and participates at the club nearly every week. “This offers a welcome alternative to engaging in intense chess; it provides a sense of belonging,” he expressed.

“It is fascinating to see how it becomes more of a social activity, because previously the sole people who engaged in chess were people who rarely go outside; they simply remained home. It's typically just a pair playing on a chessboard …

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