The Coral Springs Chess Challenge returned to Mullins Hall on Apr. 18 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. This event hosted two hours of open-play chess, mentorship, and community connection. This event’s main intent was to bring elected officials, community leaders, students, families, and chess players of all ages together to partake in a friendly chess contest against Mayor Scott J. Brook of Coral Springs.

This event was organized for those who have and have not played chess before. Each player has a light-colored square on their bottom-right side. White moves first, alternating turns to move one piece (except for castling) to control the board and capture the opponents pieces. The game will end once the king is unable to escape and the player who delivers checkmate wins.

If further interest in the chess world occurs, instructors from the National Scholastic Chess Foundation typically provide free chess lessons and guidance. The NSCF offers chess programs in Coral Springs, Florida, featuring free monthly “Open Play Chess” sessions with instruction at the Coral Springs Gymnasium and annual tournaments, including the King of Coral Springs. “Chess is all about strategy and patience, it is impossible to succeed if there is constant stress,” said senior Joshua Sandoval. This tournament is for grades K-12, often hosted at schools like Coral Springs Charter.

No registration was necessary for this event, and it was easy for those interested to participate. Regardless if you have chess experience or not, everyone was encouraged to come out and welcomed to enjoy chess as well as connecting with fellow community members.