We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Khristina Butenko. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Khristina below.

Hi Khristina, thanks for joining us today. So, let’s start with trends – what are some of the largest or more impactful trends you are seeing in the industry?

One of the biggest trends I’m seeing in the chess game industry is a push toward in-person activities centered around shared interests, especially among the millennial and Gen Z generations. There’s a growing hunger for community spaces that are low pressure yet meaningful, especially in metropolitan cities like LA and NYC.

One of the most exciting parts of this shift is the surge in popularity of chess, and really, board games in general. I absolutely love seeing more and more chess clubs pop up in cities, parks, and creative spaces overall. At En Passant, the pop-up chess club I run, we’ve seen firsthand how powerful this can be. These events give people a rare chance to pause the chaos of life, put their phones down, and be fully present in the moment. You’re sitting across from someone, focused on a game, whether it’s with an old friend or someone you just met. It creates such an authentic way to connect.

What’s so special about chess is its timeless, universal appeal. It connects you to people of all ages and cultures. It becomes a common language that doesn’t rely on small talk but taps into something deeper. Through En Passant, I’ve met so many incredible new friends and seen guests form real bonds. I’ve learned new strategies, picked up chess moves I never would have known otherwise, and shared meaningful moments over the board. Each game tells a little story about how someone thinks, reacts, and engages.

What makes it even more powerful is when you combine chess with art. Art brings emotion, imagination, and self expression, while chess leans into logic, patience, and foresight. When you bring the two together, they elevate each other. At En Passant, many of our events are hosted in art galleries or art focused venues (however you may define art to be: culinary and music included), and that hybrid energy creates something really special. The setting invites you to think differently and opens up new ways of experiencing both. It also draws a more diverse group of people, many of whom might never have pictured themselves at a chess board or walking into a, art gallery, but find common ground in the blend of both.

At the heart of it, this trend is about people wanting real connection. We’re all so used to fast paced, screen heavy interactions, but with En Passant, we get something slower and more human. Sharing a board, a conversation, and a bit of strategy reminds us that community can be built one move at a time.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I grew up in Ukraine, where chess was part of our school curriculum; it was our last class of the day before we were allowed to go home. I fell in love with it immediately and would spend hours playing with my grandparents after school. When I moved to the U.S., it became harder to find people to play with in person, and eventually when I moved to LA, the city’s spread out nature made it even more challenging to find a community of similar interests.

At the same time, I’ve always loved spending time in art galleries. Contemporary art has long been a favorite, but I also see art in food, music, antiques; anything thoughtfully created. I’ve always been drawn to how things come together to tell a story or spark a feeling.

As an adult, your schedule fills quickly…with work, personal commitments, hobbies, family time and it becomes easy to lose touch with the things you loved most as a kid. For me, that was always chess and art. And one day, I realized how similar they are. Both require strategy, creativity, and a thoughtful buildup to a beautiful or surprising outcome. I thought, why not merge the two? What if a space could exist where people came for one interest, but left having discovered another?

That’s how En Passant was born: a pop-up chess club that hosts events inside art focused spaces, from galleries to antique shops to culinary venues. It’s intentionally designed to bring together people who may not have met otherwise. What I love most is that it helped me discover how many of my own friends play chess. I’d only find out when I posted something casually on Instagram and suddenly the DMs would flood in: “Wait, I play too!” It created a ripple effect. En Passant has not only introduced me to incredible new people, but it also gave my friends a new way to bond; and that’s what it’s all about.

I’m really lucky to have people in my life who encourage me to pursue the things I care about. Honestly, En Passant wouldn’t exist without a close friend nudging me to try it. They saw something in the idea and gave me the push to bring it to life. I’m proud that it worked and prouder that it brought people together. At its core, En Passant is about building community through curiosity, whether you’re a chess enthusiast, an art lover, or just someone looking for a different kind of night out.

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

I love this question. I’d say it was waiting until I felt “ready” to start something new. For a long time, I’d sit on ideas I was passionate about, often telling myself I didn’t have the experience, or that I didn’t know how to grow an audience, or that maybe people just wouldn’t care. The fear of the unknown felt safer than the risk of trying and failing.

But at some point, I realized we only get one life. Starting anything on your own is scary, especially when it’s outside your comfort zone; but it also creates space for the kind of growth you can’t get any other way. You build new skills, meet new people, and most importantly, you learn to trust yourself.

That mindset shift is what helped me launch En Passant. I had never run a business nor hosted events like this before, and didn’t have a “blueprint” for how it would go. But I leaned into it anyway. And I’m so glad I did, because even if it hadn’t worked, I would’ve been proud just for trying. And what this has really taught me, is sometimes the hardest part is starting. But once you do, you realize you’re far more capable than you gave yourself credit for.

What’s worked well for you in terms of a source for new clients?

Word of mouth has definitely been the best source of new clients. I think it really comes down to the quality, intention, and purpose behind each event. There’s something unique about pairing a classic game like chess with an artistic environment; whether it’s inside a gallery or another creatively driven space. That intersection sparks curiosity and makes the experience feel both memorable and meaningful.

What’s been really exciting is seeing the events grow organically; each one has nearly doubled in attendance, just from people coming back and bringing their friends. That kind of momentum is the most genuine form of validation.

I’ve also been lucky to work with an incredible photographer, Dana Ferraro, who captures the energy and details of each event so beautifully. Her work really brings the experience to life visually, and I highly recommend her to anyone looking to elevate their storytelling through photography.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @kbutenks, https://www.instagram.com/moveenpassant/

Image Credits

Dana Ferraro