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Among the most energetic locations on a weekday night in the East End's famous street isn't a restaurant or a streetwear brand pop-up, it's a chess gathering – or rather a chess club-nightclub hybrid, precisely speaking.

Knight Club represents the surprising blend between the classic game and London's dynamic nightlife scene. It was founded by Yusuf Ntahilaja, in his late twenties, who launched his first chess club in the summer of 2023 at a more intimate bar in Aldgate, a short distance from the present location at a popular cafe on Brick Lane.

“My goal was to make chess clubs for people who share my background and those my age,” he said. “Typically, chess is only put in environments that are full of senior individuals, which isn't inclusive sufficiently.”

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

At first glance, Knight Club seems closer to a DJ event than a chess club. Cocktails are flowing and tunes is playing, but the chessboards on every table aren't just decorative or there as a novelty: they are all occupied and encircled by a queue of spectators eagerly anticipating for their turn.

Jimmy Ifenayi, 24, has been attending the club often for the past four months. “I possessed no knowledge of chess before I came here, and the initial occasion I ever played, I competed in a game with a grandmaster. It was a swift victory, but it left me intrigued to learn and keep playing chess,” she noted.

“The event is about 50% social and 50% people genuinely wishing to play chess … It is a nice way to relax, which avoids visiting a typical nightspot to meet others my age.”

An Activity Reborn: The Ancient Game in the Contemporary Era

Lately, chess has been cemented in the cultural zeitgeist. Its appeal of online chess proliferated during the pandemic, making it one of the most rapidly expanding internet pastimes globally. Across media, the streaming series a hit show, as well as Sally Rooney’s recent novel a literary work, have created a distinct imagery associated with the sport, which has drawn in a new wave of players.

However a great deal of this newfound appeal of the chess night is not necessarily about the intricacies of the play; rather, it is the simplicity of social interaction that it facilitates, by taking a chair and playing with someone who could be a total stranger.

“It is a great clever disguise,” said Jonah Freud, founder of Reference Point in London, a bookstore, reading room, cafe and bar, which has hosted a popular chess club every Wednesday since it began four years ago. His aim is to “remove chess from its elite status and make it feel similar to pool in a casual pub”.

“It's a very easy vehicle to meet people. It somewhat removes the weight of the need of small talk from socializing with people. One can do the uncomfortable bit of introducing yourself and chatting to someone across a board rather than with no kind of context around it.”

Expanding the Network: Chess Nights Beyond the Capital

Elsewhere in the UK, Chesscafé is a regular chess event held at a city cafe, near the downtown area. “Our observation was that people are looking for places where you can socialize, socialise and enjoy a good time beyond visiting a pub or club,” stated its creator and coordinator, a young leader, 21.

Together with his friend a partner, also young, Singh purchased chessboards, printed promotional materials and began the chess club in January, while in his final year of college. Within months, he said their event has grown to draw over one hundred young players to its events.

“A chess club has a specific connotation to it, about it being quiet. Our approach is to go the contrary direction; it is a convivial get-together with chess involved,” he emphasized.

Discovering and Engaging: A New Generation of Chess Enthusiasts

Among numerous attendees, chess clubs are an introduction to the activity. One participant, in her late twenties, is picking up how to play chess with other visitors of the weekly event at Reference Point. She became curious in the pastime was sparked after an enjoyable evening moving to music and playing chess at a previous Knight Club's events.

“It is a unique idea, but it functions well,” she said. “It promotes face-to-face interactions rather than screen-based pastimes. It's a free third space to encounter new people. It's inviting, one doesn't have to necessarily be skilled at chess.”

Kezia jokingly compared the popularity of chess among the youth to the superficial image of the “performative male”, an attempt to feign intellectualism while signaling the appearance of “coolness”. Whether the chess trend has fostered a authentic interest in the sport isn't a notion she's entirely sure about. “It is a wholesome trend, but it’s very much a fad,” she observed. “When you compete against opponents who are truly dedicated about it, it rapidly becomes less fun.”

Serious Gaming and Community

It might all be a some lighthearted activity for individuals looking to employ a game set as a social vehicle, but serious participants certainly have their place, even if away from the dancefloor.

Another organizer, in her early twenties, who assists in organise Knight Club,explains that increasingly skilled players have established a league table. “People who are in the league will play each other, we will progress to early rounds, advanced stages, and then we'll eventually have a champion.”

Ryames Chan, 23, is a competitive player and chess instructor. He joined the competition for about a year and plays at the club almost every week. “This offers a nice option to playing serious chess; it gives a feeling of belonging,” he expressed.

“It is interesting to see how it becomes increasingly a social pastime, because in the past the sole individuals who engaged in chess were those who rarely go outside; they simply remained home. It is usually only two people playing on a game board …

“What appeals to me about this place is that one isn't actually facing the computer, you're engaging with live opponents.”