2026 Summer Recap, Fall Programs Now Enrolling!
September 10th, 2025 – Cleveland, Ohio
As Summer Fades, a New Season of Chess Learning Awaits!
Thank you for joining us this Summer season, we have so much to report and so much coming up this Fall we can’t wait to share it all with you. For the second year in a row, we shattered our previous record turnout at our popular Rocky River Chess Camp at Elmwood Park Cabin, which in 2026 reached 117 participating chess students – thank you to the 399 total students who chose to join our camps this summer, at locations in Westlake, Lakewood, Hudson, Beachwood, and Solon. Keep an eye out for our annual Winter break chess camps – more details and registration coming soon!
This coming Fall, Progress With Chess will be hosting 60 chess classes for students at locations across Cleveland and its surrounding suburbs. We are thrilled to play such an important role in shaping the future of our community, and to have been supported in our mission of promoting the game of chess for so many years.
In addition to our after school programs, Progress With Chess will of course also be continuing our PREMIER chess tournament training program for students of all skill levels, Sunday Classes, this Fall at locations in Beachwood, Lakewood and now Kent! We have three class options offering a challenging and supportive learning environment for players of all skill levels: Beautiful Beginning, Fantastic Foundation, and Championship Challenge! Once reaching Championship Challenge, students will be able to compete in weekly USCF-rated tournament games, to learn from masters, to engage in a growing community of strong scholastic players from a variety of backgrounds, and, of course, the opportunity to compete in the East VS West Sunday Championship!
This summer, we launched a partnership with Van Aken District, running two tournament series’: a free weekly Rapid tournament called the Blue Line Rapid, and a monthly Thursday Night Swiss. This summer, Progress With Chess provided $700 in prizes at no cost to entrants to the Blue Line Rapid, which does not include the additional contributions made to the prize funds by competitors! We had a great experience working with them, and look forward to continuing this partnership in the future. The Van Aken Thursday Night Swiss #2 will be returning to the Van Aken District 2nd Floor Event Center on Thursday, August 27th! $600 Prize fund, 3 rounds, G30,d5. Capped at 50 players, secure your spot now at progresswithchess.org/swiss
Join us at Progress With Chess HQ at Fairhill Partners in Shaker Heights, Saturday September 19th for Mike’s Birthday Scholastic, a combination K-12 chess tournament and birthday celebration for PWC founder NM Michael Joelson. Free pizza lunch for all attendees and their families, 4 rounds, G/30;d5, USCF Rated, with medals to all players and trophy prizes for top scorers and all players scoring three or higher! Registration is open at progresswithchess.org/mike
The East Side Open is back! Registration is open for the 6th East Side Open at the East Cleveland Public Library, Saturday September 26th. This event is not USCF rated, no entry fee, $500 prize fund with free lunch provided! Capped at 100 players, reserve your spot today at progresswithchess.org/ec
Our full upcoming tournament schedule is live at progresswithchess.org/tournaments
We hope you will join us for one of our many classes, clubs, tournaments or other opportunities for chess learning this Fall,
Progress With Chess
