Chris Shen wins US Junior Open while Elton Cao wins U-15

July 2, 2019

Chris Shen

Elton Cao

With great pride, the CCL Chess School is glad to announce that Chis Shen came in clear first place in the US Junior Open while Elton Cao came in clear 1st place in the U-15 section. This year’s US Junior Open tournament attracted over 200 players under 21 to compete in four different age categories.

Chris gets the honor to compete in the 2020 US Junior Closed. The winner of the US Junior gets as spot in the US Championship. Hopefully we will soon have CCL graduates in both the US Womans (Maggie Feng) and US Open Championships. He is now going to Philadelphia for the World Open. Chris will have three tournaments in July and won’t be home until August.

Welcome to CCL, a community-driven chess instructional initiative designed to bring timeless chess to learners of all ages and skill levels. Whether you’re a beginner taking your first steps on the board or an experienced player seeking to sharpen your strategies, our program offers something for everyone.

Chess is more than just a game—it fosters critical thinking, patience, and problem-solving skills. Our program is built around the belief that chess can unite people, challenge minds, and create opportunities for personal growth and community connection. To supplement the chess side of individual enrichment, we recently opened a prodigious activities wing to CCL, managed by renowned mathematician and prodigy Dr. Harvey Friedman.

Why Join Us?

Our program is driven by a passionate community of chess lovers dedicated to creating an inclusive, supportive, and educational environment. For details on how the community fosters the program, please go to the menu option The Community. By participating, you’ll have the opportunity to:

Learn at your own pace with flexible instruction formats.
Join a vibrant chess community and make new friends who share your interests.
Enhance your cognitive skills, such as strategic thinking and decision-making.
Compete in local tournaments and represent our community.
Work with renowned mathematician and prodigy Dr. Harvey Friedman in other prodigious activities.

Let’s make chess an engaging and enriching part of our community. Join us today and start your chess journey! Together, we can grow our community and inspire a love for this incredible game.