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Day of the Book Festival

U.S. Chess Center Exhibits at Kensington Day of the Book Festival

Dozens of chess players – children, teens, and adults – took on two of the Chess Center’s young masters during Kensington’s Day of the Book Festival. On a beautiful April Sunday, thousands of book-lovers came to Kensington, Maryland, to meet authors, hear discussions, and play chess.

The book festival is now an 18 year tradition. FIDE Master Allan Savage (pictured below) volunteered for many years to play chess against all comers during the festival, giving a book to anyone who could beat him. When he passed away during the pandemic, the festival asked the U.S. Chess Center to continue the activity, and we were proud to honor his legacy.

Mr. Savage was a former Maryland Champion. A librarian by profession, he was a prolific chess author and player. He spread his love of the Royal Game from his roots in the Midwest to Maryland, where he lived for nearly five decades.

David Sherman, a chess master, and former Maryland and DC Champion, as well as being a great friend (and former employee) of the Center hosted the chess tent twice, and this year two of our teen students got together to play festival participants. Anyone they couldn’t beat received a book, and two skilled players held our masters to draws and received their prizes.

Near the same spot, Kensington will host a free open-air chess tournament for kids in grades 2 – 8 this fall. Details will come this summer.

Come play Chess at the Kensington Day of the Book Festival on April 27, 2025

The U.S. Chess Center is pleased to join the Kensington Day of the Book Festival again this year. On Sunday, April 27, two of our ambassadors (pictured above), Lang (on left) and Kyle (on right), will play all-comers from 11:00 am – 4:00 pm. Both of these young players are National Masters.

This will be the third year we have joined the festivities and we hope that many chess players will come for the books and chess.

Ambassadors Lang and Kyle have volunteered with us before. Lang performed two simultaneous exhibitions in Silver Spring earlier this school year, and Kyle helped us with a camp in Oakton this past summer.

Chess champion, David Sherman, will play a simultaneous exhibition at the Day of the Book Festival on Sunday, April 21 in Kensington, MD

The 17th Kensington Day of the Book Festival will be on Sunday, April 21. We will be there to play chess with anyone who wants to join us. https://www.dayofthebook.com/

In addition to the chess tent, there will be live music, authors reading from their books and engaging in discussions, children’s programs, cookbook demos (and quite a variety of food vendors), poetry readings, and booksellers.

For many years, Allan Savage performed a simultaneous chess exhibition at the festival. Allan, a friend of the Center, passed away unexpectedly during the pandemic, and the Center has picked up the torch.

David Sherman, a former Maryland and DC Champion who used to teach chess with us, volunteered last year and again this year to continue Mr. Savage’s tradition.

Looking for Chess Books? The U.S. Chess Center also has over a thousand used chess books for sale, starting at $1.00 and up and your purchase helps support the charitable mission of the Chess Center.  Peruse our inventory of used chess books at https://chessctr.org/usedbooks/