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Pandemic In Review, Road Forward

06/22/2021 by Peter Giannatos


Synopsis of Events Since March 2020


Free Weekly Online Tournaments


Free Live Weekly Lectures/Streams

  • Over 12,000 followers on our Twitch channel and 1000+ on YouTube

  • Official Twitch Partner

  • Naroditsky vs the World matches drawing international attention (and over $20,000 in prizes)

  • GM's Mamedyarov, So, Duda, Gujrathi, Artemiev, Xiong, Svidler, and Fedoseev were among Naroditsky's opponents.


Friendly Matches Between CCCSA and Other Prominent Chess Clubs in the US

  • Team Matches Against: Saint Louis Chess Club, Mechanics Chess Institute, Memphis Chess Club, Marshall Chess Club and Pittsburgh Chess Club.

  • The CCCSA won all matches!

  • Featured CCCSA members/players of all ratings levels


Students in Our School Programs

  • The CCCSA has serviced our students in school programs with live and interactive lessons online. In addition to the live lessons, Coach Chris Callahan made over 35 supplemental videos for our students.

  • In an effort to reach more students in need during the pandemic, the CCCSA offered these videos to all students in our member schools.

  • Sample video below:


Quality Training Camps for Juniors


  • Top Instructor Names Include: GM Veselin Topalov, GM Judit Polgar, GM Peter Svidler, GM Michael Adams, GM Hou Yifan GM Jacob Aagaard, GM RB Ramesh, GM Sam Shankland, GM Ruslan Ponomariov, GM David Howell and many more!

  • Students all over the US participated in these camps


Online Academy Classes

  • The CCCSA moved all of its Academy Classes online.

  • Students received lessons via Zoom and the new interactive Chessable Classroom.

  • Coaches Alex Velasquez, David Cogswell, NM Dominique Myers, FM Peter Giannatos and GM Daniel Naroditsky led the classes.


Online US Chess Rated Events

  • 70+ US Chess online rated tournaments

  • Both cash and trophy prizes

  • Adult (open) and K-12 events

OTB US Chess and FIDE Rated Events


Creation of the North American Corporate Chess League (NACCL)

  • Created an online chess league for companies in North America

  • Features weekly rated play, lessons, and guest lectures

  • Helping companies engage their employees through chess

  • 2 seasons with 40+ companies and 400+ players.

  • "Chess and Business" Seminars which featured guest lectures by GM's Matthew Sadler, David Smerdon, Patrick Wolff, Pascal Charbonneau, Mauricio Flores Rios, and Giorgi Margvelashvili.


CCCSA News Segments


CCCSA Staff Accomplishments in 2020/2021

  • Executive Director/Founder Peter Giannatos fulfilled the requirements and earned the title of FIDE International Arbiter (IA). In addition, he published a book with New In Chess called "Everyone's First Chess Workbook", which will be released within a few weeks of publishing this blog post.

  • Assistant Director Grant Oen directed the 2020 Champions Showdown and STL Blitz & Rapid featuring top GMs Carlsen, Kasparov, Caruana, Nakamura, So, Firouzja, and ran more USCF-rated tournaments than any other National TD in the country.

  • Grandmaster-in-Residence Daniel Naroditsky gained 175K+ Twitch followers and 170K+ Youtube subscribers.

  • Assistant Coach Maya Myers earned the title of FIDE Arbiter and directed the U.S. Women’s Championship.

Other Fun Facts 2020/2021

  • 1917 unique players from 45 states and 27 countries played in a US Chess rated CCCSA event, including 54 GMs and 47 IMs.

  • Over $50,000 in cash prizes awarded in open tournaments

  • 13 FIDE rated events - most in the country during covid

  • 31 US Chess rated OTB events - most in the country during covid

  • Ran the largest OTB US Chess rated tournament in the US from April 2020-March 2021 (Spring Classic, 157 players)

  • Ran the 3rd largest OTB event in the US from June 2020 - June 2021 (Carolinas Classic 264 players)

  • Won a FIDE grant towards the 2022 Charlotte Open (OTB)

  • Provided commentary for the Kasparov Chess Foundation University Cup




Pandemic Summary:

Though the worst of Covid seems to be behind us, I am proud of what the CCCSA has accomplished during the most challenging time we have ever faced. I think it's safe to say that the CCCSA was one of the most active clubs in the United States over the last year and a half.


I am grateful for my fantastic staff who remained astute, diligent, and innovative during the most unprecedented times.


What's Next?


  • In-person summer camps have been published.

  • Starting in July, the CCCSA will reinstate various 1-day events such as: Reverse Angle, K-12 Rated Scholastic, and Unrated Practice.

  • The CCCSA will conduct the NC Closed from October 1-3

  • The CCCSA will conduct the US Masters and NC Open during Thanksgiving weekend which has a combined $27,000 guaranteed in prizes!


Online Events Continuing:

The CCCSA will continue to provide services which include:

  • Tournaments (K-12)

  • Academy Classes

  • Twitch Lectures


See our official events schedule where we post all upcoming events


I'd like to finish by thanking all of our members and supporters from all over the world! I am extremely grateful of the support we have received this year by supporters near and far.


Onward and Upward,


Peter Giannatos

Founder, Charlotte Chess Center

peter.giannatos@charlottechesscenter.org