Mehmet & Aanya: Two Bright Stars Lighting Up the Future of Chess

Mehmet and Aanya are proof that the future of chess shines brightly, and that with heart, effort, and community, young players can achieve extraordinary things both on and off the board.

The world of scholastic chess is filled with talent, but every so often, two young players rise to the top in ways that inspire everyone around them. At CCL Chess School, two extraordinary prodigies, Mehmet Yilanli and Aanya Parul Karthikeyan are rewriting what dedication, resilience, and passion can achieve at such young ages.

Mehmet Yilanli: From National Champion to World Stage

At just seven years old, Mehmet Yilanli of New Albany, Ohio, has already made a name for himself on both the national and international chess stage. Introduced to chess by his father at age four, Mehmet quickly revealed his natural talent. By age five, he was already sweeping local tournaments, including the Ohio Kindergarten State Championship.

His rise has been nothing short of spectacular. At age six, he became the US Kindergarten Champion with a flawless 7-0 score. By 2024, he was consistently ranked among the top two players in the U.S. for his age group, and in April 2025, US Chess selected him as the official U.S. Under-8 representative for the World Cadet Championship in Kazakhstan scheduled in September 2025.

In May 2025, Mehmet captured another national crown at SuperNationals VIII, sweeping the K-1 Championship section with a flawless 7-0 score. He followed this with an impressive top 9 finish at the FIDE World Cup Cadets U8 in Georgia, where he traveled under the care of extended family rather than his parents, proving himself against some of the world’s strongest peers. Most recently, he competed in the Premier Section (U2300) of the Washington International, where his USCF rating soared past 1900, a new milestone for a first grader.

Behind Mehmet’s success is his tireless work ethic, his coach Life Master Walker Griggs, and the guidance of CCL Chess School founded by National Master Alan Casden. With the support of his family and community, Mehmet’s story is not just about winning games, it’s about the discipline, focus, and resilience of a child who carries himself with the character of a future champion.

Aanya Parul Karthikeyan: Hard Work Meets Breakthrough Success

At nine years old, Aanya Parul Karthikeyan is proving that chess greatness can be earned through sheer dedication and perseverance. In just three years of competitive play, she has skyrocketed from beginner to one of the nation’s strongest young female players.

Between August 2024 and August 2025, Aanya entered an incredible 50 tournaments, raising her rating from 1057 to 1721. Her efforts paid off at the 2025 Cleveland Open, where she tied for 2nd place in the U1800 section, achieving her peak rating. Today, she ranks an outstanding 14th nationally among girls her age.

Aanya’s resilience is perhaps her most inspiring quality. At the 2024 North American Youth Chess Championship (NAYCC), she placed near the bottom of her section. But instead of discouragement, that experience fueled her determination. Just eight months later, she returned stronger at the 2025 NAYCC in Canada, scoring 6 out of 9, clinching the bronze medal, and earning the prestigious Woman Candidate Master (WCM) title at the age of 9, a feat that broke CCL’s record previously held by Maggie Feng.

As CCL director Jeff Shen put it, “She needs to see a bigger world.” And indeed, Aanya is showing that with courage, persistence, and a willingness to learn from setbacks, the bigger world of chess is hers to conquer.

The Bigger Picture: Family, Growth, and Legacy

Behind both Mehmet and Aanya’s success stories are families who have embraced the challenges and rewards of raising chess prodigies. Supporting a young chess talent requires time, resources, and sacrifice, but it also brings families closer together, teaching resilience, patience, and teamwork. For children, chess is more than a game; it is a powerful teacher of focus, problem-solving, and emotional strength.

CCL Chess has a strong track record in international competitions at both continental and world cadet/youth events. Now, the new generation of students, including Mehmet and Aanya, continue that shining legacy, showing that the future of chess is in bright and capable hands.

Together, Mehmet and Aanya embody the spirit of CCL Chess where discipline meets passion, and where young players learn not only how to win games, but also how to build character, confidence, and a lifelong love for learning.

 

Previous issue of Student Spotlight

Congratulations to our dedicated students, graduates, and alumni who have earned a place on the US Chess July Top 100 list by age and gender. Published monthly, this list recognizes the top over-the-board (OTB) regular ratings across the country. It serves as an honor roll celebrating the hard work, dedication, and accomplishments of outstanding chess players.

Overall	Rank	Name	Rating
Age 7	2	Yilanli, Mehmet (30489673)	1867
	22	Lai, Ryan (31354152)	1328
	33	Zhu, Kaison (31414116)	1262
Age 9	47	Parul Karthikeyan, Aanya (30670375)	1721
Age 11	49	Chung, Maxwell (30555237)	1907
Age 12	36	Chin, Zee (16965808)	2023
	74	Mukherjee, Sathvik (30065329)	1921
	84	Srinivasan, Shiv Karthik (17181917)	1891
	98	Rong, Mirabella (30475163)	1855
Age 13	62	Zhang, Louis (16785655)	2004
Age 15	94	Kunapuli, Siddarth Sriaditya (16368693)	2019
Age 16	62	Gu, Minghao (16148233)	2109
Age 18	2	Wang, Jason (15162675)	2564
	57	Wei, James (15330365)	2120
	93	Kim, Dae San (15015721)	2004
	99	Wang, Matt (15728146)	1987
Girls	Rank	Name	Rating
Age 7	82	Parul Karthikeyan, Amyra (31835508)	545
Age 9	10	Parul Karthikeyan, Aanya (30670375)	1721
Age 12	16	Rong, Mirabella (30475163)	1855
Under 21	97	Cheng, Emma (14989783)	1890

What a July for Arjun Sai Kommineni!

This young and passionate chess kid has been making waves across the board with back-to-back tournament performances that are nothing short of remarkable. After a strong showing at the Chicago Class Tournament, where he shared 3rd place in his section and also claimed an under-class prize in blitz, Arjun returned to Ohio and dominated the Cincinnati Emotional Chess July (U1601 section) with a perfect 4-0 score when he swept the field and earned first place for the very first time in his tournament career.

And here’s the kicker: his rating has jumped an incredible 255 points from 1236 to 1491 in July. Arjun’s growth is not only rapid but inspiring as well because he has only been playing competitive chess for less than 8 months, since November!

Competing outside Columbus, Arjun demonstrated sharp tactical awareness and fearless play in Cincinnati:

• In Round 1, his opponent blundered with 21...Rxf2??, and Arjun immediately punished it with the crisp tactic:
  22. Qxf8+! taking advantage of the exposed king and weak back rank.

 

• In Round 4, he spotted White’s slip with 30. a4??, and responded with 30...Bd5+!! 31. Kg3 f4+! a brilliant fork. Even if White had played 31. Ke2, Bc4+! would have created another winning fork.

In Round 3, Arjun showed that tactics aren’t everything. He converted an even endgame into a win, using subtle pressure and patience which is a key skill many developing players overlook.

 

Of course, every tournament also brings valuable learning moments. In Round 2 game, Arjun tried to trap a bishop with 20...g5?!, missing White’s counterplay opportunity with 21. e6 (which, luckily, his opponent also missed). The better move? 20...Bg4!  more solid and positionally safe.

These are the types of small decisions that build long-term strength and Arjun is learning fast.

Arjun’s breakout results reflect a strong combination of:

• Blunder-spotting instincts

• Tactical alertness

• Composure in even positions and endgames

• Willingness to learn and bounce back

• And a touch of tournament luck never hurts!

Congratulations to Arjun, his supportive family, and his coach for this amazing stretch. His rapid improvement proves what’s possible when talent meets dedication, even in less than a year of competitive play.

So what’s next for Arjun and the other CCL rising stars? Could Columbus be the next battlefield, or will they continue testing the skills in new regions? We’ll be watching and can’t wait to share more tactical gems and milestones from their journey.

Stay tuned for more highlights soon!

 

“Dae San Kim’s inspiring journey is a testament to the power of perseverance, passion, and community support. From overcoming early setbacks to achieving remarkable milestones in chess, academics, leadership, and service, he has shown how dedication and a growth mindset can unlock incredible opportunities. His story reflects the heart of CCL’s mission: developing not just champions on the board, but well-rounded, compassionate leaders ready to make a positive impact in the world.” ~ Jeff Shen,  Head of CCL Chess School

Student Spotlight: Dae San Kim

Today, CCL is proud to celebrate the extraordinary journey of Dae San Kim, our 30th program graduate, whose remarkable achievements both on and off the chessboard have inspired us all. This fall, he will join the Stanford University Class of 2029.

Dae San’s love for chess began in kindergarten, sparked by his father and brother. Like many young players, he faced early setbacks; he recalls going 0/5 in his second tournament and wondering if he should ever play again. But instead of giving up, Dae San persevered, steadily improving and eventually joining CCL eight years ago. Through hard work, resilience, and the guidance of our amazing coaches GM Vlatko Bogdanovski and IM Atanas Kizov, he achieved his childhood goal of surpassing a 2000 Elo rating. Along the way, he captured the Ohio K-3 Championship, won five Ohio Grade Level Championships, the U2100 section of the Ohio Chess Congress, and earned many other top finishes. In high school, he also gave back by founding an after-school chess program for a low-income school in Cleveland.

Beyond the 64 squares, Dae San’s accomplishments are equally remarkable. At school, his leadership and initiative shine through his roles as co-editor-in-chief of the school newspaper, captain of Science Olympiad and math competition teams, NHS president, and co-president of the Asian-American Society.

Dae San completed four NASA internships, participated in environmental policy research, and even launched a climate tech start-up through the NASA SEES program, winning national prizes and an invitation to present at the prestigious AGU Bright STaRS conference. His list of service projects is equally inspiring, including tutoring, youth hospital council service, and caring for the homeless in Cleveland.

An accomplished musician, he studied electric guitar since third grade, toured with the School of Rock Headliners house band, played in his school’s jazz orchestra, and formed three rock bands that performed paid gigs around Cleveland.

His academic excellence is further reflected in a 1580 SAT (800 math), National Merit Finalist status, two-time AIME qualifier, and a US Presidential Scholar semifinalist honor.

This past spring, Dae San graduated with the highest GPA in his class and won his school’s top math prize. This fall, Dae San will head to Stanford University, where he hopes to study astrophysics, aerospace or mechanical engineering, computer science, or premed, following in the footsteps of his older brother, also a former Ohio chess champion.

Through it all, Dae San credits chess, his family, and the CCL community for giving him the resilience, confidence, and perspective to thrive. As he shared, “I’m incredibly grateful for the community at CCL and how they have supported me as a person and in becoming a better chess player.”

Dae San, your story reminds all of us of the power of perseverance, curiosity, and service. We could not be prouder of you, and we wish you the very best of luck as you embark on this exciting new chapter at Stanford and beyond. Keep reaching for the stars. We know you will continue to shine!

With warmest congratulations,
The entire CCL community