Cocktails & Chess Victories: The Young Britons Providing Chess a New Breath of Life

Among the most vibrant locations on a Tuesday evening in east London's Brick Lane isn't a restaurant or a streetwear brand temporary shop, it's a chess club – or rather a chess club-nightclub hybrid, to be exact.

Knight Club embodies the surprising fusion between chess and London's fervent evening entertainment culture. It was started by a young entrepreneur, in his late twenties, who began his initial chess club in August 2023 at a more intimate bar in a nearby area, not too far from the present location at Café 1001 on the iconic lane.

“I wanted to create chess clubs for individuals who look like me and people my generation,” he said. “Typically, chess is only put in environments that are dominated by senior individuals, which isn't diverse sufficiently.”

On the first night, there were just 8 boards between 16 people. Now, a “successful evening” at the weekly Knight Club will draw approximately 280 people.

At first glance, Knight Club seems closer to a DJ event than a chess club. Cocktails are being served and music is in the air, but the chessboards on every table aren't just ornamental or there as a novelty: they are all in use and surrounded by a line of spectators eagerly anticipating for their turn.

One regular, 24, has frequented Knight Club often for the past four months. “I possessed little understanding of chess prior to my first visit, and the initial occasion I ever played, I competed in a game with a expert player. It was a quick win, but it left me intrigued to learn and keep playing chess,” she said.

“The event is about half social and 50% participants genuinely wishing to engage in chess … It's a pleasant way to relax, which doesn't involve going to a club to see others my generation.”

A Game Revitalized: Chess in the Contemporary Era

In recent years, chess has been cemented in the societal spirit of the times. The popularity of digital chess expanded rapidly during the global health crisis, establishing it as one of the fastest-growing online games in the world. In popular culture, the Netflix series a hit show, along with the author's latest novel a literary work, have created a distinct imagery surrounding the sport, which has drawn in a new wave of players.

But a great deal of this recent attraction of the chess club is not necessarily about the technicalities of the play; instead, it is the simplicity of social interaction that it enables, by pulling up a seat and playing with a person who may be a complete unknown individual.

“It's a brilliant Trojan horse,” said one organizer, co-founder of Reference Point in London, a bookstore, reading room, coffee house and bar, which has hosted a well-attended chess club weekly since it began four years ago. His objective is to “take chess off a pedestal and make it feel similar to billiards in a dive bar”.

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

Growing the Community: Social Gatherings Outside London

In Birmingham, Chesscafé is a regular chess event held at York’s Cafe, just outside the city centre. “We found that people are seeking places where one can socialize, socialise and have a good time outside of visiting a bar or nightclub,” said its creator and organiser, Karan Singh, in his early twenties.

Alongside his associate a partner, also young, he purchased game sets, created flyers and started the chess club in the start of the year, during his last year of university. Within months, he reported Chesscafé has expanded to draw over one hundred young players to its gatherings.

“Such a venue has a specific reputation to it, about it being reserved. Our approach is to move in the opposite direction; it is a social get-together with chess involved,” he emphasized.

Discovering and Engaging: An Alternative Cohort of Players

For many, chess clubs are an introduction to the game. Zoë Kezia, in her late twenties, is learning how to participate in chess with other visitors of chess night at Reference Point. Her interest in the pastime was sparked after an enjoyable evening dancing and playing chess at a previous the club's occasions.

“It is a strange concept, but it works,” she commented. “It encourages in-person interactions instead of screen-based activities. It's a no-cost third space to encounter new people. It's inviting, you don't have to necessarily be skilled at chess.”

Kezia humorously likened the trendiness of chess with young people to the superficial image of the “ostentatious intellectual”, an attempt to feign intellectualism while signaling the appearance of “hipness”. If the chess trend has cultivated a authentic passion in the game isn't something she is entirely sure about. “It's a wholesome phenomenon, but it’s largely a trend,” she said. “When you compete against people who are truly dedicated about it, it quickly turns less enjoyable.”

Competitive Play and Community

It might seem like a bit of fun and games for those looking to use 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,says that increasingly skilled players have formed a league table. “Participants who are in the league will face each other, we'll go to early rounds, advanced stages, and then we will finally have a champion.”

Ryames Chan, 23, is a competitive player and chess instructor. He joined in the league for about a twelve months and participates at the club almost every week. “This offers a welcome option to playing intense chess; it provides a sense of belonging,” he said.

“It is fascinating to see how it becomes more of a communal activity, because previously the sole individuals who played chess were those who didn't go outside; they simply stayed home. It is typically only two people competing on a game board …

“What I like about this place is that one isn't actually facing the digital opponent, you are engaging with live opponents.”