About PWC
Progress with Chess, Inc. is a non-profit 501(c)(3) Ohio corporation, whose primary focus is to enable students to reap the intellectual and social benefits of chess participation. In service of this goal, we administer chess programs, classes, and camps, in over 60 Greater Cleveland and Northeast Ohio area schools, provide instruction for hundreds of local students, and conduct leagues, tournaments, and summer camps.
Why Chess?
Objectivity, understanding the long and short term consequences of each move, and complex decision making are just a few of the abilities essential to mastering chess that are important in every-day life.
A number of studies have shown that students who play chess show significant improvement in their proficiency scores, academic achievement, emotional intelligence and self-esteem. Chess participation develops critical thinking skills such as concentration, memory, and pattern recognition, and promotes healthy social interaction between people of different ages and diverse cultural, racial and economic backgrounds.
Our Programs
After School Clubs
Our team of experienced instructors has been conducting chess programs in 60+ schools in NE Ohio for over 20 years.
Among our staff are retired teachers and principals with longstanding connections to our schools, as well as tournament players and directors, who compete in and run our open events alongside our students. Our instructors are titled players, masters, state champions, lecturers and chess professionals, devoted to serving the city of Cleveland through the proliferation of this game and this community which has brought us together, with the added benefit of not only bolstering academic proficiencies, but the values of patience and respect.
Chess Camps
Week-long Summer and Winter Break Camps hosted at various locations and schedules across Cleveland and its surrounding cities.
Players receive plenty of individual attention in small groups of ten or less, divided by age and skill level. Our experienced instructors provide an organized and complete schedule of chess activities, including interactive lessons, puzzle contests, giant chess, open play, mini-tournaments, famous game analysis, and more!
Sunday Classes
Our premier chess training program, for beginners and tournament players alike!
This course is open to students from all schools, hosted at locations in Beachwood and Lakewood. Students are taken through our curriculum in depth, and prepared to compete in tournaments. Our popular “Championship” course features lectures from local US Chess Federation Experts and Masters, as well as weekly USCF rated games and analysis.
Tournaments
Progress With Chess is proud to provide high quality scholastic and open tournaments in the Greater Cleveland Area
Including but not limited to: the Cleveland Metropolitan School District Chess League, the Greater Cleveland Scholastic Chess League, The Northeast Ohio Scholastic Championship, The Carl Bowers CMSD Chess Tournament in partnership with the Cleveland Police Patrolmen’s Association, the Black Shield Association, and the Cleveland Public Library, a number of official state championships, and so much more!
In addition, we are serving our mission with a number of outreach programs, including but not limited to
- Directing all competitive chess events held in partnership with the Cleveland Metropolitan School District, including the annual Carl Bowers CMSD Chess Tournament, which in 2025 featured special guests NFL Quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson and International Master Calvin Blocker, as well as our four annual CMSD Chess League Tournaments.
- Providing free entry to participating public schools to our Greater Cleveland Scholastic Chess League.
- Providing chess instruction and facilitating a chess club at the Cuyahoga County Juvenile Detention Center.
- Providing free chess lectures open to the public from local Masters.
- Directing the Check on Your Mate chess tournament run in partnership with Steven Kwan and For Art’s Sake, which included not only a blitz competition between CMSD and the Cleveland Guardians but a free scholastic tournament and simultaneous exhibition with IM Calvin Blocker.
- Hosting semi-annual free chess tournaments hosted at and in partnership with the East Cleveland Public Library.
We want every student within our reach to have the opportunity not to just learn chess, but to excel at chess; to have the opportunity to go beyond learning how the pieces move, and to receive coaching from experienced chess instructors, tournament players and directors. We are honored to have such an important role in the chess community of Northeast Ohio, and we only hope that we can continue to do the game, the tradition that has uplifted all of our lives, and the lives of our students, justice in the coming years.
Are you a teacher, parent or administrator wanting a Progress With Chess quality program at your school? Are you looking to volunteer or learn more about us? Curious about upcoming events or job opportunities? We would love to hear from you!
