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One of the most energetic locations on a Tuesday evening in the East End's famous street couldn't be a restaurant or a streetwear label pop-up, it's a chess club – or a chess and nightlife hybrid, precisely speaking.

Knight Club represents the surprising blend between chess and London's dynamic evening entertainment 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 present location at Café 1001 on the iconic lane.

“My goal was to create chess clubs for individuals who share my background and those my age,” he explained. “Usually, chess is only put in spaces that are dominated by senior individuals, which is not inclusive sufficiently.”

Initially, there were just eight boards between 16 people. Now, a “good night” at the regular Knight Club will attract approximately 280 attendees.

At first glance, the venue seems more like a music night than a chess club. Cocktails are being served and music is playing, but the chessboards on every table are not just ornamental or there as a gimmick: they are all occupied and surrounded by a line of onlookers waiting for their turn.

One regular, 24, has been attending the club regularly for the past four months. “I had little understanding of chess prior to I came here, and the first time I tried it, I played a game with a grandmaster. That was a swift win, but it left me fascinated to study and keep playing chess,” she said.

“The event is about 50% networking and 50% people actually wanting to play chess … It's a nice way to relax, which avoids visiting a club to meet other people my age.”

A Game Reborn: Chess in the Contemporary Age

In recent years, chess has been cemented in the cultural spirit of the times. The popularity of digital chess proliferated during the pandemic, making it one of the most rapidly expanding internet pastimes in the world. In popular culture, the streaming series a hit show, as well as the author's recent novel a literary work, have crafted a distinct imagery associated with the sport, which has attracted a fresh generation of players.

But much of this newfound attraction of the chess night isn't necessarily about the technicalities of the game; rather, it is the ease of connecting with others that it facilitates, by taking a seat and playing with someone who may be a complete stranger.

“It's a great Trojan horse,” said one organizer, co-founder of a local venue in London, a bookshop, library, cafe and lounge, which has organized a well-attended chess club weekly since it opened four years ago. Freud’s aim is to “remove chess off a pedestal and transform it into similar to billiards in a dive bar”.

“It is a very easy tool to get to know people. It kind of takes the pressure of the need of conversation away from socializing with people. One can do the uncomfortable bit of introducing yourself and chatting to someone over a game rather than with no kind of shared activity around it.”

Expanding the Community: Chess Nights Outside the Capital

In Birmingham, a similar initiative is a regular chess night taking place at York’s Cafe, just outside the city centre. “We found that individuals are looking for places where you can socialize, socialise and have a fun evening beyond visiting a pub or club,” said its founder and organiser, Karan Singh, 21.

Alongside his associate a partner, 21, he bought chessboards, printed promotional materials and started the chess club in January, during his last year of university. In less than a year, Singh said their event has grown to draw more than 100 youthful participants to its events.

“A chess club has a specific connotation to it, about it seeming quiet. Our approach is to move in the contrary way; it's a convivial party with chess involved,” he emphasized.

Discovering and Playing: A New Generation of Chess Enthusiasts

For many, chess clubs are an introduction to the activity. One participant, 27, is picking up how to play chess with fellow visitors of chess night at the venue. She became curious in the pastime was sparked after an pleasurable night dancing and playing chess at a previous the club's occasions.

“It is a strange idea, but it works,” she said. “It promotes in-person exchanges instead of screen-based activities. It is a free neutral ground to encounter strangers. It is inviting, one doesn't have to necessarily be skilled at chess.”

Kezia humorously likened the trendiness of chess among young people to the superficial image of the “performative male”, an effort to simulate braininess while signaling the appearance of “coolness”. If the chess craze has fostered a authentic passion in the game isn't something she is quite convinced by. “It is a positive trend, but it’s largely a fad,” she observed. “Once you compete with opponents who are really serious about it, it quickly turns less enjoyable.”

Competitive Gaming and Community

It might seem like a bit of fun and games for those looking to employ a chessboard as a social vehicle, but serious players do have their role, even if off the main party area.

Lucia Ene-Lesikar, in her early twenties, who helps running Knight Club,says that more skilled attenders have established a competitive ranking. “Participants who are in the league will play one another, we'll go to quarter-finals, advanced stages, and then we will finally have a champion.”

A dedicated player, 23, is a serious competitor and chess instructor. He has been the competition for about a twelve months and plays at the club nearly every week. “This is a nice option to engaging in serious chess; it provides a sense of belonging,” he expressed.

“It's interesting to observe how it becomes increasingly a social pastime, because in the past the only individuals who played chess were those who didn't go outside; they just remained home. It's usually just a pair playing on a game board …

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