Community Comes Together at the 3rd East Side Open
May 9th, 2025 – East Cleveland, Ohio
![An online chess player plays chess on a digital screen, behind the windows in a study room a local chess tournament plays. Community members sit at tables doing homework and making conversation. [All photos by Kelly Margaret Heikkla]](https://progresswithchess.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/ecplchess1-795x599.png "ecplchess1")
‘My grandfather is very proud’: How a chess tournament at East Cleveland Public Library brings community together.
BY KELLY MARGARET HEIKKILA | ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON THE LAND
It’s a rainy Saturday morning in May as people file into the East Cleveland Public Library. What begins as a slow trickle – locals looking to devour the latest books, and students using the computer lab – turns into a large diverse group of young and old alike competing in a free local chess tournament.
72 players pre-registered for the “3rd East Side Open Chess Tournament,” put on by local organization Progress for Chess. They have been running chess tournaments and sponsoring chess classes at local schools and community centers since their founding at the start of the millennium. While their mission is to foster youth involvement in chess, and make chess accessible to students of all ages, abilities, and backgrounds, they also have events open to all ages, like the competition held at the East Cleveland Public Library.
You can’t help but feel the warm and welcoming nature surrounding you at ECPL. It’s an older building, built in 1916, and it is one of the original Carnegie Libraries – libraries built with funding and support from industrialist Andrew Carnegie. Yet sitting amongst the dark wooden bookshelves and study tables, you wouldn’t know the building is over a century old. Recently renovated, the library features modern amenities including a Maker Space and Creative Print Center. Partnering with local community organizations such as Progress With Chess is one of the ways ECPL Executive Director Carlos Latimer hopes to share the library’s resources with the wider Northeast Ohio community.
“We are a destination public library, this event in particular comes as an opportunity for youth to explore diverse programming. This program brings in people throughout Northeast Ohio and East Cleveland. Locally, we serve 14,000 people. We provide essential services such as voter registration, print books, DVDs, STEM programs, and hotspots for community members to check out, and we have a performing arts center as well that offers cultural programming for the community,” Latimer says.
You can see the pride on Carlos’ face as he beams about the services the library offers. He is quite proud about the new Creative Printing Center that offers low-cost printing services. Outside, a billboard advertises what else the library offers the community, from notary public and traditional passport services to snack programs for kids, banking essentials, and arts and crafts. And, of course, the community chess club.
Roy-Allen Bumpers is a familiar face to those checking into the chess tournament. He greets both old and new chess players alike with a friendly face. He greets them by name, and his passion and dedication to the community, and to chess, shines through. He has a bright grin on his face whenever a familiar friend pops on by. “You’re all checked in Roman,” he smiles, “I saw you walk in.”
Roy is one of the chess class facilitators, and he also hands awards out at scholastic chess events. He gets to know these players well, often watching them grow from first time chess players to championship winners.
“There are four competition levels,” Roy explains. “Each player is given a skill number. That skill number follows them their whole chess playing career. Their skill number is based on how many times they play, and how well they score. It isn’t defined by age, which means young chess players can play older chess players since they’re at the same skill level. The score is the same that is used by the US Chess Federation.”
Roman is one such chess player. “I liked it as a kid as a summer activity. My friends played, and I started becoming more competitive in middle and high school. I’ve been participating with Progress with Chess for probably 20 years. Michael Joelson is the founder, and my chess teacher. They taught me my very first moves.”
Tyler started playing with his grandfather as a child, and started taking part in competitions in the 8th grade. “I won a tournament last year and earlier this year. They were surreal moments. I became a state champion last year. I’ve made $1,100 in chess tournaments. My grandfather is very proud and always asks me how I’m progressing.”
Jerry is a senior community member and chess player. He summed up the event best. “For one thing it’s free, for another thing I just love to play chess.”
There will be another all-ages chess tournament at the library in September.
This article produced in collaboration with East Clevelander Public Magazine.
For more information about the East Cleveland Public Library go to: Home Page | East Cleveland Public Library.
