FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Six State Titles and Multiple National Invitations Highlight Outstanding Weekend for CCL Players
Akron, Ohio
March 2026
Students from CCL Chess delivered an exceptional performance at the 2026 Ohio Elementary, Middle, and High School Championships, held this past weekend in Akron, Ohio. Current and former CCL students collectively captured six state championship titles along with numerous podium finishes across championship and blitz events.
In the Elementary School Championship section, current CCL students Aanya Parul Karthikeyan and Aadhi Veerapandian Adaikappan finished among a four-way tie for first place. Aanya secured the official state championship title on tiebreaks, earning the opportunity to represent Ohio at the 7th Annual Rockefeller National Tournament of State Elementary Champions, which will be held this August in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
In the Primary K-3 Championship, Mehmet Yilanli, the youngest US Chess Expert in Ohio history and a recent CCL graduate, captured the state title with a perfect score. His victory earns him the state delegate spot to the inaugural GM Maurice Ashley National Tournament of K-3 State Champions, also scheduled to take place in Grand Rapids this August. The tournament is named in honor of Grandmaster Maurice Ashley, a leading advocate for scholastic chess in the United States.
In the Middle School Championship, CCL students Shiv Karthik Srinivasan and Shaurya Kurulekar shared a six-way tie for second place, with Shiv securing the official runner-up position after tiebreaks.
In the High School Championship, CCL #36 graduate and US Chess Expert Louis Zhang and former student National Master Broderick Bauml finished tied for third place.
CCL players also dominated the State Blitz Championships, sweeping the championship titles across multiple divisions:
- Mehmet Yilanli – Elementary School Blitz State Champion
- Georgios Stavropoulos – Middle School Blitz State Champion
- NM Broderick Bauml – High School Blitz State Champion
Additional strong finishes included Shashank Palla, who earned clear second place in the Middle School Blitz Championship, and Rishi Mettapally, who shared a two-way tie for second place in the Elementary Blitz U1000 section.
CCL’s youngest generation also celebrated a milestone achievement. Mustafa Yilanli, a kindergartener and Mehmet’s younger brother, captured his first state chess title as co-champion of the K-2 U400 section. With only 18 rated games played, Mustafa also surpassed the 500 US Chess rating mark.
Other CCL students earning state trophies included Amyra Parul Karthikeyan, Oliver Ma, and Roopali Palla.
The Ohio Elementary, Middle, and High School Championships attracted nearly 300 students from across Ohio in grades K-12. The event serves as a qualifying tournament for national invitational competitions for state champions, held annually in conjunction with the U.S. Open Chess Championship.
For more than a decade, CCL Chess students have consistently dominated the state podium, qualifying numerous times for these prestigious invitational national championships and earning multiple national titles. The 2026 invitational tournaments will take place in Grand Rapids in August.
About CCL Chess
CCL Chess is one of the Midwest’s leading scholastic chess programs, dedicated to developing young players through structured instruction, competitive training, and tournament opportunities. CCL students have earned numerous state and national titles and continue to represent Ohio at the highest levels of scholastic chess competition.
