Bournemouth had to be content with a point as they failed to score at home for the first time this season.
A stubborn Chesterfield side were constantly on the back foot from the first whistle but defended valiantly to earn a share of the spoils.
The home side, who were without top scorer James Hayter, had several good chances but could not find the killer touch in front of goal.
Play-off chasing Bournemouth signalled their intentions as early as the fifth minute when striker Steve Fletcher fired a shot wide from 18 yards following Wade Elliott's cross.
Bournemouth wasted two good chances inside a minute after five consecutive corners nearly led to a first goal on 30 minutes.
Defender Karl Broadhurst saw his shot saved by keeper Andrew Richmond when Chesterfield failed to clear a second corner and from that resulting third flag-kick taken by Brian Stock, Elliott saw his looping header hit the bar and go over.
The visitors showed little attacking front but almost took an undeserved lead on 32 minutes when Mark Stallard headed Shane Nicholson's free-kick wide.
Both sides hit the woodwork in the final three minutes of the first half.
Gareth O'Connor was first for Bournemouth when his cross came back off the bar with Elliott and Alan Connell wasting chances from the rebound.
In first-half injury time Chesterfield also hit the bar through Jamal Campbell-Ryce's header from Stallard's cross.
Bournemouth's best chance of the game came three minutes after the break when Warren Cummings' cross was headed back across the box by Elliott and on-loan midfielder John Spicer's looping header was cleared of the line by Ian Evatt.
Steve Blatherwick saw his looping effort tipped over by Neil Moss just after the hour before Connell headed wide for Bournemouth late on as both sides had to settle for a point.