Fern Street Chess Park - West Palm Beach

402 S. Dixie Highway

Open Sunrise to Sunset

The West Palm Beach Downtown Development Authority invites you to play chess at the Fern Street Chess Park! Engage with other like-minded individuals looking for a mental challenge and community connection.

FREE to play. ALL ages and levels are welcome.

Are you a beginner? Learn from others and play our provided available game sets.

Want to learn ahead of a game? Here are some basic tips: Click Here

National Chess Day – October 14

Registration starts at 4:30 p.m.
Tournament starts at 5:30 p.m.

Celebrate National Chess Day and the one-year anniversary of Fern Street Chess Park on Saturday, October 14 from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m.! It’s a day dedicated to the game of kings, and we’re rolling out the red carpet for chess enthusiasts and novices alike.

Whether you’re a seasoned grandmaster or just starting to learn the moves, this FREE event is designed for all levels of chess enthusiasts.

Bring your friends, family, and your best chess strategies to engage in friendly matches while enjoying complimentary bites from Meraki Juice Kitchen and Johan Joe’s Swedish Restaurant.

Play In our Tournament!

Get ready to test your chess skills during a 5-minute Speed Chess Tournament!

This tournament will be played under the “Swiss System,” where everyone gets to play five rounds.

Afterwards, enjoy dinner at Meraki Juice Kitchen!

Registration will be on site from 4:30-5:30 p.m. Please make sure to arrive on time, as space is limited.

Live Music!

Enjoy live entertainment by Brent Staska.

Play Games!

Don’t know how to play chess?

Enjoy a variety of backyard games, such as cornhole, Connect 4, Jenga and more!

Chess Facts

It’s a mental game. However, the game can end as quickly as two moves.
The longest possible chess game in terms of the number of moves is 5,949.
Checkmate derives from the Persian phrase Shah Mat. The phrase means “the King is dead.”
In 1989, a chess match between Ivan Nikolic and Goran Arsovic in Belgrade ended in a draw. It was recorded as the longest official check game and lasted 269 moves.
The playing board used today with the alternating light and dark squares first appeared in Europe in 1090.

Want To Learn More

Local Organizations

West Palm Street Chess – Facebook Group
Palm Beach Chess – palmbeachchess.com
Boca Raton Chess Club – bocachess.com
Florida Chess Association – floridachess.org

Online Games

Chess Literature

“Master Jacobson,” short story by Tim Krabbé
“The Royal Game,” by Stefan Zweig
“Searching for Bobby Fischer,” by Fred Waitzkin

Nationally Recognized

The American Chess Magazine honors the West Palm Beach Downtown Development Authority with a Special Recognition Award.

For Creating and Supporting a Dedicated Public Park that Unites a Diverse Community Through the Game of Chess