Swingers New YorkCheckmate NYC — how exclusive is it really?
Checkmate requires a headshot before you can even get in? That seems intense. What's the vetting process like and is the club worth the hassle? How does it compare to Labyrinth?
Best Answer
Checkmate's vetting process is real but not as intimidating as it sounds. You email them a G-rated headshot (just a normal face photo), they review it, and typically respond within a day or two. They're screening out fake profiles and ensuring a baseline of effort, not running a modeling agency. Most couples who apply get approved.
The club itself is on East 56th Street — very different vibe from Labyrinth. Checkmate is intimate and upscale. Think Upper East Side cocktail party that evolves into a play party. The space is smaller than Labyrinth, which means fewer people (usually 30-50 on a Saturday) but the quality of interactions tends to be higher. The crowd is generally well-educated professionals, and the average age skews slightly older than Labyrinth.
Labyrinth is the bigger, more diverse, anything-goes experience. Checkmate is the curated, intimate, upscale experience. We do Labyrinth when we want energy and variety; Checkmate when we want sophistication and connection.
1 Answer
Got approved at Checkmate in under 24 hours. The headshot requirement kept us out for months because it felt weird, but once we did it, we wondered why we waited. The club is beautiful — feels like a high-end speakeasy. Smaller crowd means you actually get to know people. Some of our best lifestyle connections have come from Checkmate nights.