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Among the liveliest spots on a weekday evening in east London's Brick Lane isn't a restaurant or a streetwear label pop-up, it is a chess gathering – or rather a chess and nightlife combination, precisely speaking.

This unique venue embodies the surprising blend between chess and London's dynamic nightlife 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, not too far from the current location at a popular cafe on the iconic lane.

“I wanted to create chess clubs for people who look like me and those my age,” he said. “Typically, chess is only put in spaces that are full of senior individuals, which is not diverse sufficiently.”

Initially, there were just 8 boards shared by 16 people. Today, a “good night” at the weekly Knight Club will draw approximately 280 people.

Upon arrival, the venue seems closer to a DJ event than a traditional chess meeting. Mixed drinks are being served and music is in the air, but the game boards on each table aren't just decorative or there as a gimmick: they are all occupied and surrounded by a queue of spectators eagerly anticipating for their turn.

Jimmy Ifenayi, 24, has frequented the club often for the past several months. “I possessed no knowledge of chess before my first visit, and the first time I tried it, I competed in a game with a expert player. That was a quick win, but it made me intrigued to study and keep playing chess,” she said.

“This gathering is about half networking and 50% people genuinely wanting to engage in chess … It's a nice way to decompress, which avoids visiting a typical nightspot to meet others my age.”

A Game Reborn: Chess in the Contemporary Era

Lately, chess has been firmly established in the societal spirit of the times. The popularity of online chess proliferated during the pandemic, making it one of the fastest-growing internet pastimes globally. Across media, the streaming series a hit show, along with the author's recent novel a literary work, have created a certain imagery surrounding the sport, which has drawn in a new generation of players.

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

“It's a great clever disguise,” remarked Jonah Freud, founder of a local venue in the city, a bookshop, library, cafe and lounge, which has organized a well-attended chess club every Wednesday since it opened several years back. His objective is to “remove chess off a pedestal and make it feel like pool in a casual pub”.

“It's a very easy tool to meet people. It somewhat removes the weight of the need of conversation away from interacting with people. One can handle the uncomfortable part of introducing yourself and talking to someone over a game rather than with no kind of context around it.”

Expanding the Network: Chess Nights Outside the Capital

Elsewhere in the UK, Chesscafé is a regular chess night held at a city cafe, just outside the city centre. “We found that people are seeking spaces where you can go out, socialise and have a good time beyond going to a bar or nightclub,” stated its founder and coordinator, Karan Singh, in his early twenties.

Alongside his friend a partner, 21, Singh bought chessboards, printed promotional materials and began the chess club in the start of the year, while in his last year of university. Within months, he said Chesscafé has expanded to attract over one hundred youthful players to its gatherings.

“Such a venue has a particular reputation associated with it, about it being quiet. We really try to go the opposite direction; it is a social get-together with chess as part of it,” he said.

Learning and Engaging: A New Cohort of Players

Among numerous attendees, chess clubs are an introduction to the game. Zoë Kezia, in her late twenties, is picking up how to play chess with other attenders of the weekly event at the venue. She became curious in the game was piqued after an enjoyable evening dancing and playing chess at a previous Knight Club's events.

“It is a unique idea, but it functions well,” she commented. “It encourages face-to-face exchanges instead of screen-based pastimes. It is a no-cost neutral ground to encounter new people. It is welcoming, one doesn't need to necessarily be good at chess.”

Kezia humorously likened the trendiness of chess with the youth to the facade of the “performative male”, an effort to feign intellectualism while projecting the appearance of “hipness”. Whether the chess trend has fostered a genuine passion in the sport isn't a notion she is quite sure about. “It's a positive trend, but it’s largely a trend,” she said. “Once you're playing against people who are really serious about it, it quickly turns less enjoyable.”

Competitive Play and Community

It might seem like a some fun and games for those looking to employ a game set as a social vehicle, but serious participants do have their role, even if off the main party area.

Lucia Ene-Lesikar, 22, who assists in organise Knight Club,says that more competitive players have established a competitive ranking. “People who are in the league will face each other, we'll progress to early rounds, advanced stages, and then we will finally have a league winner.”

Ryames Chan, 23, is a competitive competitor and chess instructor. He joined in the league for about a year and participates at the club nearly weekly. “This is a nice option to engaging in intense chess; it gives a sense of belonging,” he expressed.

“It is fascinating to see how it evolves into more of a communal pastime, because in the past the sole individuals who engaged in chess were those who didn't go outside; they just remained home. It's typically just two people competing on a chessboard …

“What I like about this place is that you're not really facing the digital opponent, you are facing real people.”