Joe Kleban Ties for First Place at the 2026 Joe Yun Memorial
Congratulations to CCL graduate Joe Kleban, who scored an impressive 4 out of 5 in the U2200 section at the 2026 Joe Yun Memorial. Joe defeated National Master Deshawn Kelley in Round 2 and drew with Chloe Wang in Round 4. He finished tied for first place with Chloe, and each received a $750 cash prize.
CCL Members Compete at Charlotte’s Elite Chess Festival
Several CCL members traveled to Charlotte, North Carolina, to compete in the Naroditsky Memorial, playing in the Challengers sections of the memorial rapid and blitz tournaments honoring the life, legacy, and impact of Grandmaster Daniel Naroditsky. CCL participants included NM Aryan Balyan, Mehmet Yilanli, Shashank Palla, Roopali Palla, and Arjun Sai Kommineni.
Mehmet Yilanli Reaches a New Peak Rating of 2114
The nation’s top-ranked 8-year-old player, Mehmet Yilanli, continues his remarkable progress. At the G60 July Swiss in Columbus, Mehmet achieved a new peak US Chess rating of 2114. Following this outstanding performance, he will represent both CCL and Ohio at the Ashley Tournament of K–3 Champions during the U.S. Open.
New Students Shine at Local Scholastic Tournament
Several of CCL’s newest students delivered outstanding performances at recent local summer scholastic tournaments.
- Vihaan Singharia earned second place in the U900 section and came within reach of an 800 rating.
- Vihan Talak, Shivansh Obbu, and Rachel Li tied for first place in the U600 section. Each achieved a new peak rating and is ready to move up to the U900 section in the next tournament.
- Tyson Yu, Siddharth Santhoshkumar, and Ethan Kim finished as the top three players in the U300 section, successfully completing the first rated tournament of their chess journeys.
This summer also marked the return of two familiar faces to the Columbus chess community. Albert Jiang and Brian Jiang, former CCL students who came back to Columbus during their summer vacation, rejoined CCL for local tournaments. Brian captured first place in the Beginner’s U900 section, while Albert claimed the top prize in his section at the G60 Swiss. Their return highlights the lasting relationships that CCL Chess School builds with its students and alumni, whose connection to the CCL community continues long after they move away.
Congratulations to all of our young players on their hard work, dedication, and continued improvement!
CCL Chess Expands Community Outreach
In addition to providing professional chess training for more than a decade, CCL Chess School continues to expand its support for the local community. Through a partnership with a local youth STEM academy, CCL hosted four summer chess camps in Dublin, Powell, and Lewis Center. These camps provided a fun, engaging, and supportive environment where young students developed critical thinking, problem-solving, and decision-making skills through chess.
Learning Through Puzzles and Playing with Masters
This summer, CCL Masters FM Christopher Shen and NM Aryan Balyan, both recent college graduates, organized a special community chess event for CCL students and local players. Participants sharpened their tactical skills by solving instructive chess puzzles before taking on the masters in an exciting 30-board simultaneous exhibition. The event offered students a memorable opportunity to learn directly from experienced players while enjoying an afternoon of challenging and inspiring chess.
