CHESS
Port Townsend
Port Townsend Chess is a Washington State registered nonprofit association. The Port Townsend Chess mission is to work to make chess a little bit of a big deal in Port Townsend through volunteer scholastic and community chess.
Chess Night Port Townsend
Every Tuesday 6 - 8 pm
Aldrich’s Market (upstairs)
940 Lawrence St, Port Townsend, WA 98368
We play chess. Do you? Do you want to?
A few hours of chess, community, and various degrees of competition. Open to all ages, skill levels, and interests. Women and younger players are encouraged.
New to chess or just getting back into it? Help, guidance, and advice are always available. Experienced players will find a good game here.
Bring a chess board and set if you can (but we always have a few extra)
June, 2025
Let's all go to the library . . . and play Chess
Port Townsend Public Library
Drop-in Chess
Mondays, June 23, July 21, and August 18, 4:00pm-5:00pm
Play chess and have fun! Join us for 20 minutes of chess instruction and 40 minutes of play. Casual play and all levels are welcome
Sessions for youth ages 7-12 in the Children's Room.
Sessions for teens ages 12-18 in the Teen Room.
May 31, 2025
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Olympic Peninsula Tournament
The Olympic Peninsula Scholastic Open Tournament, held May 31, 2025, was great fun. Chess was played; games were won games were lost, spirits were high.
By the numbers: 65 total registrants representing 27 individual schools. Prizes were awarded to the top three in each of the 4 sections (HS, MS, ELEM and ELEM U500). School team awards went to the top schools that brought at least 3 players as a team.
February, 2025
Blue Heron Middle School Chess Team Wins Regional Chess Championship
The Blue Heron Middle School chess team was the champion at the Washington High School Chess Association - Olympic Regional Middle School Chess Championship held in Poulsbo, WA on February 8, 2025.
Blue Heron Middle School sent a team of 9 strong players that turned in a dominating team performance, finishing with 15 points, to capture top honors.
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90 student chess players participated in the tournament
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In addition to the Blue Heron team, teams from Quileute Tribal School (La Push); Kingston Middle School; and Poulsbo Middle School participated in the tournament
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Lexa Lee, an 8th grader at Blue Heron, turned in a commanding performance winning all five of her games in the tournament.
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Additionally, individual Blue Heron players finished in 5th, 13th, 14th, 18th, 21st, 25th, 27th, 28th overall.
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Every player on the Blue Heron team finished with two or more points in the tournament. No other team accomplished this.
It is 2025 and Chess is Happening
January 2025
Olympic Regional High School / Middle School Chess Championships
Poulsbo, WA Saturday, February 8, 2025
The event is free and registration is easy. High School / Middle School Registration
Chess Fest at Salish Coast Elementry School
Saturday, April 26, 2025
A fantastic, fun, exciting day of elementary school chess and prizes
Port Townsend Olympic Peninsula Scholastic Open
Saturday, May 31, 2025
Details and registration: ChessReg: Olympic Peninsula Scholastic Open
Outdoor Chess on the Plaza (by Better Living Through Coffee)
May - September 2025
Most Sundays 1pm – 3pm (weather permitting – attendance varies)
Bring a board, set it up, and there is a good chance you get a chess game going
National Chess Day Student Tournament
Saturday, October 11, 2025
Looking for more Regional Chess? Start here:
ChessReg Regional Tournament Registration
Northwest Chess Association Tournament Registration
Chess in the Classroom
August, 2024
Port Townsend Chess is absolutely excited to partner with Salish Elementary School to introduce chess to all 3rd, 4th, and 5th-grade classes throughout the 2024 - 25 school year!
This incredible program is set to enhance students' critical thinking and problem-solving skills while igniting their love for the game. Learning chess not only fosters intellectual growth but encourages teamwork and sportsmanship.
With enthusiastic adult volunteers engaging through teaching, coaching, and just playing games with the kids, we aim to inspire the next generation of chess enthusiasts and critical thinkers.
Some of the classes have even started challenging other classes and even classes in other schools to chess matches. This is how you build a chess culture in a community!
June, 2024
Port Townsend Chess is going to try and make outdoor Chess on the Plaza by Better Living Through Coffee happen this summer. It is the kind of thing that should be happening in a place like Port Townsend.
Playing chess on the plaza adds a unique blend of focus and energy to the game. People walking by and the occasional street performer invites a sense of community, with passersby occasionally stopping to watch or join in. The contrast between the intense concentration of the game and the lively atmosphere of the plaza creates a dynamic experience.
Look for Port Townsend Chess on the plaza by Better Living Through Coffee on Sunday afternoons between 1 - 3pm (when the weather is nice).
We'll have boards and sets ready to go.
Salish Coast Elementary Chess Fest
May, 2024
What do you get when you put a whole bunch of kids in a large room with a giant chess board, a bunch of chess sets, cookies and a lot of prizes for playing games?
A lot of fun, that's what.
The Chess Fest at Salish Coast Elementary was a wonderful day. Kids from first grade through fifth grade playing chess together. Parents getting to see their kid playing in a room with a bunch of other kids.
This is how a chess culture starts in the community. Thank you to the school, the parents, the volunteers and the kids for making it a wonderful day.
Chess at The Nest
A Port Townsend Chess volunteer (and a really good chess player) has been doing some chess coaching at The Nest. Other kids saw them playing chess and asked The Nest to schedule a chess meet-up so they could play.
So . . . Port Townsend Chess purchased and donated three regulation chess sets and boards so The Nest could get this going.
The Nest is a Community Coffee House - where 100% of the proceeds go towards youth and young adult programming.
Drop in, have a coffee, and play a game or two.
1119 Lawrence Street, Uptown, Port Townsend
Wed-Thurs 8:30-5pm| Fri 8:30-7:30pm | Sat 8:30-5pm
National Sea Cadets Chess Training
December, 2023
Port Townsend Chess was proud to provide volunteer chess training for the 2023 National Sea Cadets Advanced Leadership Strategy course at Fort Worden in December.
Sea Cadets ages 13 to 18, from across the country participated and had the opportunity to learn about the history, strategy, and tactical thinking involved in chess.
New Chess Club at Salish Coast Elementary
January, 2024
UPDATE: More than 100 kids, grades 3, 4 and 5, signed up for chess club. More than 100 kids, indeed!
In 2024 Port Townsend Chess will begin partnering with Salish Coast Elementary School for the launch of a brand-new school chess club for 3rd, 4th, and 5th grades.
This is very exciting!
This will dovetail nicely with Port Townsend Chess volunteer activities with the ongoing chess clubs at Blue Heron Middle School and the Port Townsend High School chess club (which we hope to expand in the 2024-25 school year).
Port Townsend Chess
Port Townsend Chess is a registered non-profit charitable association with the Washington Secretary of State, registration number 2008785. More information is available at https://www.sos.wa.gov. 360-725-0377.