On a brisk summer evening in Shibuya, the Aldgate Pub is filled with over a dozen people tucked in the rear booths. Between them, it’s not pints of beer but 32 pieces of black and white plastic that fly back and forth as clocks tick down the seconds.
This is Tokyo’s chess scene, dedicated to a game older than the Aldgate, Shibuya and possibly even Japan itself.
With its roots in the seventh century, chess has had centuries to become one of the most popular board games in the world. Originally considered a high society hobby, the introduction of online boards and chess content creators has brought the game to millions of new players around the globe. According to the International Chess Federation (FIDE), chess’ largest governing body, there are now 605 million active chess players ranging from amateur enthusiasts to grandmasters.
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