Drinks & Checkmates: The Youthful British People Providing Chess a Fresh Breath of Life

One of the most vibrant venues on a Tuesday evening in east London's Brick Lane couldn't be a restaurant or a urban fashion brand temporary shop, it is a chess club – or rather a chess and nightlife hybrid, to be exact.

This unique venue embodies the unlikely blend between chess and London's fervent nightlife scene. It was founded 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 Café 1001 on the iconic lane.

“I wanted to create chess clubs for people who share my background and those my generation,” he explained. “Usually, chess is only placed in environments that are dominated by older people, which is not diverse sufficiently.”

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

At first glance, Knight Club seems closer to a music night than a chess club. Mixed drinks are being served and tunes is in the air, but the game boards on every table are not just ornamental or there as a gimmick: they are all in use and surrounded by a line of onlookers eagerly anticipating for their chance to play.

One regular, in her mid-twenties, has frequented Knight Club often for the past several months. “I had no knowledge of chess prior to I came here, and the first time I ever played, I competed in a game against a grandmaster. It was a quick victory, but it made me intrigued to learn and continue enjoying chess,” she said.

“This gathering is about half networking and half people actually wishing to play chess … It's a nice way to relax, which avoids going to a club to see others my age.”

A Game Reborn: Chess in the Contemporary Era

Lately, chess has been firmly established in the societal zeitgeist. The popularity of online chess expanded rapidly throughout the pandemic, making it one of the fastest-growing online games globally. In popular culture, the Netflix series The Queen’s Gambit, as well as the author's recent novel Intermezzo, have created a distinct imagery associated with the game, which has drawn in a new generation of players.

However much of this newfound attraction of the chess night is not necessarily about the intricacies of the game; rather, it is the simplicity of connecting with others that it enables, by pulling up a seat and engaging with someone who could be a complete stranger.

“It is a great Trojan horse,” remarked one organizer, founder of Reference Point in London, a bookstore, reading room, coffee house and bar, which has organized a popular chess club weekly since it opened four years ago. His aim is to “remove chess from its elite status and make it feel like pool in a casual pub”.

“It is a really simple tool to get to know people. It somewhat removes the weight of the need of small talk away from socializing with people. You can do the uncomfortable bit of introducing yourself and talking to someone across a game rather than with no context involved.”

Expanding the Network: Social Gatherings Outside London

Elsewhere in the UK, a similar initiative is a recurring chess night held at York’s Cafe, just outside the city centre. “We found that people are looking for spaces where you can go out, socialise and enjoy a fun evening outside of visiting a bar or club,” stated its creator and coordinator, a young leader, 21.

Alongside his associate Abdirahim Haji, also young, he purchased game sets, created promotional materials and started the chess club in January, during his final year of university. Within months, Singh said Chesscafé has grown to draw more than 100 young participants to its gatherings.

“Such a venue has a specific reputation to it, about it being quiet. Our approach is to move in the contrary way; it's a convivial party with chess involved,” he said.

Discovering and Playing: An Alternative Cohort of Players

For many, chess clubs are an introduction to the activity. One participant, in her late twenties, is picking up how to participate in chess with fellow attenders of the weekly event at the venue. Her interest in the game was piqued after an pleasurable evening moving to music and engaging in chess at one of Knight Club's events.

“It's a strange idea, but it works,” she said. “It promotes in-person interactions rather than screen-based activities. It is a no-cost neutral ground to meet new people. It's welcoming, one doesn't have to necessarily be skilled at chess.”

Kezia jokingly likened the trendiness of chess among young people to the superficial image of the “performative male”, an effort to simulate braininess while signaling the veneer of “coolness”. If the chess craze has cultivated a authentic passion in the game isn't a notion she's entirely sure about. “It's a positive trend, but it’s largely a fad,” she said. “When you compete against people who are really dedicated about it, it quickly becomes less enjoyable.”

Competitive Gaming and Togetherness

It might seem like a bit of fun and games for individuals aiming to employ a chessboard as a networking tool, but competitive participants certainly have their place, albeit off the main party area.

Another organizer, 22, who assists in running Knight Club,says that more skilled attenders have established a league table. “Participants who are in the league will face each other, we will go to quarter-finals, advanced stages, and then we'll finally have a league winner.”

A dedicated player, in his twenties, is a competitive competitor and chess teacher. He has been in the league for about a year and plays at the club nearly weekly. “This offers a nice option to engaging in intense chess; it provides a feeling of belonging,” he said.

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

“The thing appeals to me about here is that you're not actually playing against the computer, you are facing real people.”