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Pawn Chess Club at Casino in the Lower East Side. | Photo by Isabel Mnter

Pawn Chess Club at Casino in the Lower East Side. | Photo by Isabel Mnter

If youve ever been captivated by the chess players of Washington Square Park or Union Square Park but didnt have the nerve to actually play a game with them, youre not alone.

Chess, especially compared to its board-counterpart checkers, can seem like a complex and daunting game, with its variety of strategies and patterns, along with its lengthy duration. Historically, its held a myriad of stigmas; some associate it with nerd culture, while others associate it as a hobby amongst the wealthy.

And while chess, indeed, was initially played by noblemen during the Renaissance (pre Beyonces), a lot has changed since then. Somewhere between the tables being set up in New York Citys parks and Anya Taylor Joys captivating performance as Beth Harmon in The Queens Gambit, chess became accessible and cool.

New Yorkers, predominantly young, have been gathering to play rounds upon rounds of the board game in the downstairs room at Casino, an Italian restaurant in the Lower East Side. These game nights are organized by Pawn Chess Club, started by friends Isabel Mnter and Simone Robert, whose first meeting was in May.

At Pawn Chess Club, theres no pressure to be the next chess wunderkind. All levels of players are welcome, and beginners are especially encouraged. Just show up with an open mind and a penchant for learning, and maybe grab one of their signature Casino Cosmopolitans to sip on as you play.

The groups next gathering is slated for the upcoming weeks in July, and they plan to host the game night every three weeks on Tuesdays. Keep tabs on their Instagram to get the down-low on the meeting dates, and get ready to make some moves.

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Pawn Chess Club in NYC Resumes This Month - Thrillist