What’s your next move?

The combination of board games and alcohol doesn’t seem like a natural fit, but recent forays into the space have opened up an interesting market for budding entrepreneurs.

The recent Commander Business Grant competition awarded the $10,000 top prize to a young couple that devised a business plan for a venue where people could play chess while enjoying a beer or three.

This quirky concept isn’t confined to Australia, either. Toronto café Snakes & Lattes has dispensed with the WiFi to offer more than 1,500 board games to patrons. The café’s barista’s are trained in giving strategic tips for games ranging from Monopoly to Jumanji, with plans for themed nights and game hire.

The combination of games and drinks raises the question of other businesses that can be formed from merging two seemingly different pastimes.

Board games have been traditionally viewed as something you play at home, while drinking in a bar generally isn’t. Other home pursuits, such as reading, playing computer games or knitting, may seem a little unusual in a swish bar, but are they any more strange than playing chess?