Cocktails and checkmates: the young Britons giving chess a new lease of life

One of the liveliest spots on a Tuesday night in east London’s Brick Lane isn’t a restaurant or a streetwear brand pop-up, it’s a chess club – or chess club-nightclub hybrid, to be exact.Knight Club is the unlikely crossover between chess and London’s fervent nightlife scene. It was started by Yusuf Ntahilaja, 27, who began his first chess club in August 2023 at a smaller bar in Aldgate, not too far from the current location at Café 1001 on Brick Lane.“I wanted to make chess clubs for people who look like me and people my age,” he said. “Typically, chess is only put in spaces that are full of older people, which isn’t diverse enough

Melbourne Cup 2025: Jamie Melham follows in Michelle Payne’s footsteps with win aboard Half Yours

Jockey Jamie Melham became the second woman to win the Melbourne Cup after Half Yours saluted on a wet track under cloudy skies at Flemington, in front of around 80,000 spectators. The five-year-old gelding – the only Australian-bred horse in the race – finished two lengths ahead of Goodie Two Shoes, with Middle Earth third.Interviewed on the track immediately afterwards, Melham, who created history as the first female jockey to complete the Caulfield-Melbourne Cups double, said: “What just happened? Oh my god”.“This is what we do it for, this is why we get up out of bed every morning at 4am, work our asses off for the last 15 years I’ve been in this industry,” she told Channel Nine. “It’s tough, it’s not all glorious and perfect as everyone can see sometimes

The stats that show why England should be wary of resurgent Marnus Labuschagne

Rather than just breaking back into the Australian test team, Marnus Labuschagne is set to enter the Ashes as the form batter of either side after scoring his fifth century of the Australian season on Monday.His return is set to be confirmed in coming days when Australian selectors name their Ashes squad, after the 31-year-old was dropped for the tour of the West Indies in July.Labuschagne hit 101 off 111 deliveries for Queensland in their 50-over victory over NSW on Monday at Sydney’s Cricket Central. It is his third century in four innings in that competition, adding to another two in four innings in the Sheffield Shield.Combined, he has scored nearly 700 runs in his eight visits to the crease this season, and appears to have put several years of struggle behind him

Commanders coach accepts blame for leaving Jayden Daniels in game before serious injury

Washington Commanders head coach Dan Quinn has accepted he shares some of the blame for a serious injury to the team’s quarterback, Jayden Daniels.Daniels, who had one of the greatest rookie campaigns of all time last season, suffered a dislocated left elbow in Sunday’s loss to the Seattle Seahawks. Although Daniels throws with his right arm, the injury has left his season in doubt. The injury was serious enough that the television broadcast did not show replays and several players turned away as Daniels was treated my medical staff.Quinn came under criticism as many believed Daniels should not have been on the field in the first place

WTA Finals: Rybakina downs Swiatek, Anisimova fights back to beat Keys – as it happened

Elena Rybakina is through to the last four of the WTA Finals after producing a storming comeback to beat Iga Swiatek in Riyadh. Rybakina, from Kazakhstan, lost the first set after a single break in 36 minutes, but turned the match on its head in the second and went on to win 12 of the next 13 games.The win, coupled with Amanda Anisimova’s three-set victory over Madison Keys, ensured that Rybakina will finish top of the Serena Williams Group and secure a semi-final berth, while Swiatek and Anisimova with battle it out for the second spot on Wednesday.Swiatek, the world No 2, thrashed Keys 6-1 6-2 in her opening round-robin clash, but was twice broken in the second set against Rybakina before failing to win a game in the decider to lose 6-3 1-6 0-6. Rybakina, who had lost each of her previous four matches against Swiatek, has now played two and won two in Riyadh following a 6-3 6-1 triumph over Anisimova in her tournament opener

Steward injury could offer Smith the chance to start for England against Fiji

A hand injury to the full-back Freddie Steward could present Marcus Smith with a fresh chance to start for England when they face Fiji at Twickenham on Saturday.Steve Borthwick’s team will meet the Pacific Islanders in the second of four November internationals after a comfortable opening victory against Australia, but the No 15 jersey may become a significant problem for the England head coach.Steward, who started against the Wallabies, received treatment at pitchside in the second half at Twickenham and appeared to be in considerable pain but stayed on for 80 minutes. It is understood that he will not return to training until Thursday.With the full-backs George Furbank of Northampton and Elliot Daly of Saracens already ruled out, Steward’s setback may provide a chance for Smith