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One of the most vibrant locations on a Tuesday evening in east London's Brick Lane couldn't be a dining spot or a streetwear brand pop-up, it is a chess gathering – or rather a chess club-nightclub combination, precisely speaking.

Knight Club represents the unlikely blend between the classic game and the city's fervent evening entertainment scene. It was founded by a young entrepreneur, 27, who launched his first chess club in August 2023 at a smaller bar in a nearby area, a short distance from the present location at a popular cafe on Brick Lane.

“I wanted to make chess clubs for individuals who share my background and people my generation,” he explained. “Typically, chess is only put in environments that are dominated by senior individuals, which isn't inclusive sufficiently.”

On the first night, there were just eight boards shared by 16 people. Today, a “successful evening” at the weekly Knight Club will attract about 280 attendees.

At first glance, Knight Club seems more like a music night than a traditional chess meeting. Cocktails are flowing and music is in the air, but the chessboards on each table aren't just decorative or there as a gimmick: they are all occupied and surrounded by a queue of onlookers eagerly anticipating for their turn.

One regular, in her mid-twenties, has frequented Knight Club often for the past four months. “I possessed no knowledge of chess before my first visit, and the first time I tried it, I competed in a game against a grandmaster. It was a quick win, but it made me intrigued to study and keep playing chess,” she said.

“This gathering is about half social and 50% participants actually wishing to play chess … It's a pleasant way to decompress, which doesn't involve visiting a typical nightspot to see other people my generation.”

A Game Revitalized: The Ancient Game in the Contemporary Age

In recent years, chess has been firmly established in the cultural spirit of the times. The popularity of online chess proliferated during the pandemic, establishing it as one of the fastest-growing online pastimes in the world. Across media, the Netflix series The Queen’s Gambit, along with Sally Rooney’s recent novel a literary work, have created a certain imagery surrounding the sport, which has drawn in a fresh wave of enthusiasts.

But a great deal of this newfound attraction of the chess night isn't necessarily about the intricacies of the play; instead, it is the simplicity of connecting with others that it enables, by pulling up a chair and playing with someone who could be a complete stranger.

“It is a great clever disguise,” said Jonah Freud, founder of Reference Point in London, a bookshop, library, cafe and lounge, which has organized a well-attended chess club weekly since it opened several years back. Freud’s aim is to “remove chess off a pedestal and transform it into similar to pool in a dive bar”.

“It's a very simple vehicle to meet people. It kind of removes the weight of the need of small talk from interacting with people. One can do the awkward part of making an introduction and talking to someone across a board rather than with no kind of shared activity involved.”

Growing the Community: Chess Nights Outside London

Elsewhere in the UK, a similar initiative is a recurring chess event held at York’s Cafe, just outside the downtown area. “We found that individuals are looking for spaces where one can go out, socialise and have a fun evening beyond going to a bar or club,” said its founder and coordinator, Karan Singh, in his early twenties.

Together with his associate a partner, also young, Singh bought chessboards, created flyers and began the chess club in January, during his final year of university. Within months, he said Chesscafé has grown to draw over 100 youthful participants to its gatherings.

“A chess club has a particular reputation associated with it, about it seeming quiet. We really try to go the contrary way; it's a convivial party with chess as part of it,” he said.

Discovering and Playing: An Alternative Generation of Chess Enthusiasts

For many, chess clubs are an entry point to the activity. Zoë Kezia, in her late twenties, is learning how to play chess with fellow visitors of chess night at Reference Point. Her interest in the pastime was sparked after an pleasurable night moving to music and engaging in chess at one of the club's occasions.

“It's a unique concept, but it functions well,” she commented. “It encourages in-person interactions rather than digital pastimes. It is a free third space to encounter new people. It is welcoming, one doesn't have to necessarily be good at chess.”

Kezia humorously compared the popularity of chess with the youth to the facade of the “performative male”, an effort to feign braininess while projecting the veneer of “hipness”. If the chess craze has cultivated a genuine interest in the game is not something she's quite sure about. “It's a wholesome trend, but it’s very much a fad,” she observed. “When you're playing with opponents who are truly dedicated about it, it rapidly becomes less fun.”

Competitive Gaming and Togetherness

It might seem like a some lighthearted activity for individuals aiming to use a chessboard as a networking tool, but serious players certainly have their place, albeit away from the dancefloor.

Lucia Ene-Lesikar, in her early twenties, who helps running Knight Club,explains that more skilled players have established a competitive ranking. “Participants who are in the league will face one another, we will progress to early rounds, advanced stages, and then we will finally have a league winner.”

A dedicated player, 23, is a competitive player and chess teacher. He has been the competition for about a year and plays at the club almost every week. “This offers a nice alternative to engaging in intense chess; it provides a feeling of belonging,” he said.

“It is fascinating to see how it becomes more of a social activity, because in the past the only individuals who engaged in chess were people who rarely socialize; they simply remained home. It's typically just two people competing on a game board …

“What I like about this place is that one isn't really playing against the computer, you are facing live opponents.”