The CCL Chess School

Chess, Community and Learning

 

Chess lessons and more, for players of all strengths and ages.

CCL Chess Students Shine on the Podium at SuperNationals VIII in Orlando, FL

The CCL Chess team delivered an impressive performance at the US Chess SuperNationals VIII, securing top honors across multiple sections. With a blend of hard work, discipline, and an unwavering passion for the game, our students showcased their talents on the national stage, earning well-deserved recognition.

We are proud to announce the achievements of our CCL Chess team members who claimed national championship medals and top rankings in this prestigious tournament:

K-1 Championship

  • 1st Place: Mehmet Yilanli (National Champion!)
  • 6th Place: Ryan Lai
  • 9th Place: Julian Cho

K-1 Under 500 & Unrated

  • 25th Place: Rishi Mettapally

K-3 Under 1000

  • 7th Place: Soham Gupta

K-6 Under 1000

  • 6th Place: Arjun Sai Kommineni

K-6 Under 1400

  • 20th Place: Henry James Wolfe

K-12 Under 1900

  • 20th Place: Het Patel

K-8 Championship Blitz Under 1200

  • 2nd Place: Akhilesh Sasikumar

K-6 Championship Blitz Under 1000

  • 3rd Place: Arjun Sai Kommineni

K-3 Championship Blitz

  • 7th Place: Mehmet Yilanli

Bughouse K-6

  • 6th Place: Mehmet Yilanli & Aadhi Adaikappan

Puzzle  K-6

  • 6th Place: Mehmet Yilanli

 

The SuperNationals VIII, held from May 9-11 in Orlando, Florida, brought together more than 4,600 players from across the nation. This event combined the three Spring National Scholastic Championships—Elementary, Middle, and High School—into one extraordinary tournament, held once every four years. After SuperNationals VII was canceled in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this was the first edition since SuperNationals VI in 2017, creating an even greater sense of anticipation.

The competition saw a diverse and talented pool of participants, with nearly 70 players from Ohio, including many from the CCL Chess School, representing their communities with pride. This event continues to inspire our students to reach for excellence, both on and off the chessboard. Congratulations to all our students, coaches, and the families for their remarkable achievements!

 

NEWSLETTER OF THE MOTCF

 

The Midwest Open Team Chess Festival (MOTCF) has once again lived up to its legendary status as Ohio’s most iconic chess event! For decades, MOTCF was not only a celebration of chess excellence but also a testament to the tournament’s role in building community. For many players, MOTCF is the one tournament they never miss—a time to honor friendships and the joy of playing side by side.

This year’s MOTCF was truly historic for not only did it see the largest turnout since 2000 with an incredible 132 players, but it also debuted its first ever junior division, welcoming more than 40 scholastic chess kids rated under 1200. And for the CCL community, it was a joyful reunion of coaches, students, and alumni from across the continents.

CCL made a big splash, fielding 12 teams, including three junior teams, making this our biggest showing ever! Representing the top tier of talent were IM Atanas Kizov from Europe, LM Walker Griggs, and WIM/FM Maggie Feng. We were also thrilled to welcome back Joe Kleban, a CCL graduate and current Georgetown University senior, who joined us during his spring break. Another star was Mehmet Yilanli, National Kindergarten Champion and the US Official Representative for the 2025 World Cadet Championship and World Cup (U8)!

After five intense rounds over two days, CCL teams rose to the top:

 

  • Team JAMS (Joseph Kleban, Shiv Srinivasan, Maxwell Chung, Arnav Kodkani) dominated the U2000 section!
  • Team E (Het Patel, Colin Park, Jack Hamilton, Vihaan Multani) took first place in the U1800 category!
  • Our talented juniors Rehaan Sivaraman, Hengrui Wang, Sai Viraj Salguti, and Max Yang brought home the Junior Team Championship!

 

In individual honors:

  • Mehmet Yilanli shined as the Top Youth Player, finishing with 4 points!
  • Aanya Parul Karthikeyan earned well-deserved recognition as the Top Female Player!

It was an unforgettable weekend full of passion, strategy, and community. Congratulations to all the players and teams! We can’t wait to reunite and make even more memories at MOTCF 2026!

CCL March Chess Camps

Two CCL chess camps by IM Atanas Kizov

 

Camp 1

date: March 26, 2025
time: 5:00 PM - 9:00 PM
where: second floor of Harrison on Fifth, 579 W. 5th Avenue, Columbus, Ohio 43201
If you are below HS, you need adult supervision.

Camp 2

date: March 30, 2025
time: 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
where: home of Adhi Adaikappan
689 Maple Vista Dr, Delaware OH 43015
Paking on the street.  It could be cold in Adai's basement so dress appropriately, depending on the weather.

All chess equipment and snacks will be provided. These camps are open to anyone in CCL and anyone who has an interest in joining CCL. There will be trophies and other prizes for the participants.  For more details or questions, call Alan (614) 561-2718 or email cclalanc@gmail.com.

40% discounts are available to the second or third person from the same family, participants coming from over a 45-minute drive to Columbus, and retired individuals.
If you cannot make it to the camp, you will be 100% refunded, no questions asked. Camp 2 is only open to the first 24 signups! 

  • Cost of the camps
    • camp 1 - $75
    • camp 2- $119
      • camp 2 is free to the parents of a student in 2nd grade or below
      • 40% discount to the 2nd student from the same family, students greater than 45 minutes from Columbus, and retired parents/students.

Payment to reserve a spot for these chess camps..

Click Here

Making our 2025 MOTCF Teams

Special Reunion Edition

MOTCF - March 22-23
Jr. MOTCF - March 22 only

What I consider the best tournament in the Midwest is just over eight weeks away. The tournament is MOTCF, the Midwest Open Team Chess Festival. This is a tough tournament where we will make as many teams as possible.  I am making the teams for CCL. We will have many teams at this team tournament, with many of our top players competing. I've included details on this tournament below. However, do not enter the tournament on your own.  If you want to play, fill out the CCL form by Clicking Here or going to https://cclchess.com/motcf/.  I will submit the teams and pay the entry fees. Then, I will email you to collect your part of the entry fee.

I hope to see you at this great team event.  Many chess players play only in this tournament once per year, as it is a reunion for many players.  Join the tradition.  I hope that some of our CCL players who are off in college make it back for this event.  IM Atanas Kizov, LM Walker Griggs, and LM Maggie Feng are playing on a CCL team. I will be making our teams soon, so if you are going to play, please fill out the form NOW!  I like to get these teams in well in advance so that everyone knows if they made it on a team and who they are playing with and can plan accordingly.  The last day to enter a CCL team is February 15. This is an updated date.

Why is this the Special Reunion Edition? I have just turned CCL over to the community, and although I still plan to participate in CCL, life is unpredictable.  I thought that this would be an excellent time for our first MOTCF reunion.  The CCL team is open to everyone who has ever participated in CCL.  If you thought someday you would return to Columbus for an MOTCF, make 2025 the year.  I would like to see you all one more time. for information on the tournament, CLICK HERE.