Where Chess Meets Boxing

Chess has seen a huge increase in popularity over the past few years. Nowhere is this more evident than in the growth of chess meet-ups, offering players of all standards the chance to turn up and play a few casual games, often in a very informal setting. In London there are now many such gatherings every week: Four Corners, OTB Southbank, Greenwich Peninsula, to name just three.

At the beginning of the summer, CSC set up its own chess meet-up in Old Spitalfields Market, at the point where the City of London meets Tower Hamlets. Led by our fantastic tutor Awate, the sessions have proved a great success, attracting at least 50 people each week who have enjoyed some great chess as well as having the chance to sample the street food all around them in the market itself. The club has attracted a huge range of people: children from local schools, tourists who happen to be passing, the after-work crowd from local offices, as well as some stars of the chess and boxing worlds - Grandmaster Daniel Fernandez and Commonwealth cruiserweight champion Aloys Junior have both been spotted on our boards.

As the colder weather sets in, the chess has moved indoors. From 6th October, the club will be held every Monday at Kerb Social, upstairs in the market, from 6pm to 8pm. Come along and have a game, or get some expert chess tips from Awate.