Mehmet Yilani, an 8-year-old CCL student from New Albany, Ohio, achieved a new peak US Chess rating of 2040 at the Queen City FIDE Open held on January 17–18 in Cincinnati, Ohio. During the event, he drew two U.S. National Masters and defeated a FIDE Master in classical games. With this performance, Mehmet earned the US Chess Expert title.

This milestone establishes a new CCL and Ohio record, as Mehmet reached a 2000+ rating while in second grade, surpassing Chris Shen’s long-standing third-grade record that had stood for 12 years.

According to US Chess age-based rankings, Mehmet is currently among the top U.S. players at age 8. Since beginning his chess training in April 2022, he has shown remarkable progress. His recent scholastic achievements include:

• 2025 Ohio Grade-Level State Champion
• National Champion (2nd Grade) at the 2025 US National K–12 Grade Championships
• K–6 National Blitz Co-Champion (officially third place on tiebreaks) at the same event in Spokane, Washington

Under CCL standards, Mehmet becomes the 39th CCL graduate. He will continue his training with CCL coaches as he pursues the National Master title. His primary coach is Life Master Walker Griggs.

Congratulations to Mehmet and Coach Griggs on this outstanding achievement.

The Legacy of a CCL Graduate

The skills developed in becoming a CCL graduate transfer to a successful future. We are continually amazed by the accomplishments of CCL alumni as they move into new chapters of their lives, achievements we are confident we will see in Maxwell’s future as well.

Typical CCL graduate milestones include:

• 1 year in CCL – achieving a 2000 rating

• 4 years in CCL – achieving a 1900 rating

• 5 years in CCL – achieving an 1800 rating

To see our previous 38 graduates, please click this link

CCL Chess proudly celebrates these standards of excellence and looks forward to watching Mehmet continue this tradition of success.

 

CCL Chess Congratulates Its 38th Chess Graduate: Maxwell Chung

 

CCL Chess is proud to celebrate its 38th official graduate, Maxwell Chung, a dedicated 7th-grade student whose remarkable growth, passion, and perseverance have made him one of CCL’s standout young talents.

Maxwell’s love for strategy began early. Whether it was board games or card games—especially Monopoly—he gravitated toward anything that required planning and foresight. But chess, interestingly, came later. During the COVID-19 lockdown, feeling restless at home, Maxwell began playing chess entirely on his own, moving both black and white pieces across the board. After the pandemic, Maxwell began formal coaching with CCL Chess founder, National Master Alan Casden, a mentor who quickly became both a trusted coach and cherished friend. Alan’s humor, warmth, and steady encouragement made every lesson a highlight of Maxwell’s month. Maxwell’s family often heard him say, “Alan’s suggestions work!” a phrase repeated each time a coaching tip helped him score a win.

Just two weeks after starting with Alan, Maxwell competed at the 2022 National Elementary Chess Championship, earning 7th place in the K–3 non-rated section—an early glimpse of his emerging talent.

Alan soon introduced Maxwell to Atanas, telling him, “To become a stronger player, you need to improve your openings—and Atanas can help.” The prediction proved true. Within just 18 months of coaching under Atanas, Maxwell’s rating skyrocketed from 1270 to 2000, a milestone few young players ever achieve. Along the way, he collected an impressive list of titles and honors, cementing his place as one of Ohio’s fastest-rising scholastic players.

“We can never say ‘thank you’ enough to Alan and Atanas for their guidance and support,” Maxwell’s family shared.

Outside of competition, he loves reading, often borrowing books from Alan’s personal collection. “And also thank you, Alan’s library, for fueling that curiosity!” the parents said.

Maxwell’s journey doesn’t end with graduation. He remains deeply committed within CCL Chess to competing and growing, and his next big goal is to stand on the podium at a national championship. He also looks forward to seeing fellow CCL members at many future tournaments.

Key Achievements

• 2025 Cleveland Open – undefeated, $350 prize, U2100 Section

• 2024 Ohio Grade Level – Tied 2nd place, Grade 6

• 2023 Ohio Grade Level – Co-Champion, 5th grade

• 2023 Ohio Chess Congress – 1st place, U-1200 Section

• 2022 National Elementary Championship (Columbus, OH) – 7th place, K–3 unrated section; earned first rating: 521

CCL Chess is honored to celebrate Maxwell’s accomplishments, growth, and dedication. His hard work exemplifies the spirit of our program, and we cannot wait to see where his chess journey leads next.

Congratulations, Maxwell, CCL Chess Graduate #38!

The Legacy of a CCL Graduate

The skills developed in becoming a CCL graduate transfer to a successful future. We are continually amazed by the accomplishments of CCL alumni as they move into new chapters of their lives, achievements we are confident we will see in Maxwell’s future as well.

Typical CCL graduate milestones include:

• 1 year in CCL – achieving a 2000 rating

• 4 years in CCL – achieving a 1900 rating

• 5 years in CCL – achieving an 1800 rating

To see our previous 37 graduates, please click this link

CCL Chess proudly celebrates these standards of excellence and looks forward to watching Maxwell continue this tradition of success.