2025 in Review

SUMMIT CHESS CLUB

"win or learn"

Carmel, Indiana · 501(c)(3) Nonprofit · Est. 2023

More than a
chess club.

Chess. Community. Carmel.

Summit Chess Club was formed with a simple idea — to promote the game of chess and guide players from their very first move all the way to the tournament stage. Whether you've never touched a chess piece or you're chasing a rating, SCC is your home.

Upcoming Events →

♟

Free Club

No membership fees. Open to all ages and skill levels.

📅

Weekly Play

Thursdays at Carmel Christian Church and Sundays at CCPL.

🏆

Rated & Free Tournaments

USCF-rated events plus free community tournaments monthly.

😊

Player Friendly

No late fees, play-up fees, or hidden club fees. Ever.

📈

Learn & Grow

Lessons, practice, and tournament prep for all levels.

🤝

Community First

Building a strong, inclusive chess community in Indiana.

Grandmaster Visits

World-class talent, right here in Carmel.

Since 2023, Summit Chess Club has hosted four Grandmasters for simuls and one-on-one blitz battles — giving our members a rare chance to sit across the board from world-class talent. Click any flyer to view it full-size.

♞

GM Sam Khanin

Chess Simul
July 16, 2026

View Flyer →

♚

GM Lorenzo Lodici

Simul & Blitz
March 12, 2026

View Flyer →

♛

GM Sam Khanin

Blitz Battle
Aug 21, 2025

View Flyer →

♜

GM Elshan Moradiabadi

Chess Simul
March 6, 2025

View Flyer →

♝

GM Alexander Lenderman

1-on-1 Blitz
Aug 16, 2023

View Flyer →

Sponsors & Donors

Thank you to our sponsors & donors.

We are forever grateful to our proud sponsors of Checkmate Cancer 2026.

Individual Donors

Robert Banta • David Airey • Kevin Lee • Mrs. Minner • Riley McCulloch • Sahitya Mallipeddi & Abhiram Maddela • Nathaniel Criss • Tony Passwater • Jay Carr • Ganapathi Vaddadi • R Michael Dugdale • Terrence LeMaster • Gabriel Hawkins & John Martin Hawkins • James Ramp • Donald Winslow • Anonymous Donors • All Participants

Meet & Play

Come play with us.

Weekly meetups and free monthly events — no registration required, all skill levels welcome.

📅

Thursdays · 6:00 – 8:30 PM

Carmel Christian Church. Casual games, practice, and club activity open to adults and kids of all ages.

All Ages Welcome

📚

Sundays · 2:30 – 4:30 PM

Carmel Clay Public Library. Youth-only sessions for scholastic players to learn, practice, and improve.

Kids K–12 Only

🎯

Free G10 OTB Tournament

A free monthly casual G10 tournament to help beginners and newer players get comfortable with tournament rules, clocks, and pairings. No entry fee, no pressure.

Free · Every Month · Thursdays

💻

Free Online Tournament — chess.com

Monthly free online tournament on chess.com. Top 3 finishers each win a 1-month Chess.com Diamond membership!

Free · Online · Top 3 Win Diamond ♦

Tournaments

Compete. Improve. Repeat.

USCF-rated and casual tournaments — for serious competitors and newcomers alike. Past tournaments are removed automatically.

Jul

Checkmate Cancer 2026 — GM Simul

Carmel Christian Church · GM Sam Khanin · Open to all · Charity event

Charity Event

Jul

Checkmate Cancer 2026 — Scholastic (K–12)

Kid City USA · Westfield, IN · Entry: $20

USCF Rated

Jul

Checkmate Cancer 2026 — Open

Kid City USA · Westfield, IN · Entry: $25

USCF Rated

Jul

A Day of Chess — IndyPL Central Library

Indianapolis Public Library · Free · Rated & Unrated sections

Free · USCF RatedRegister

Oct

National Chess Day — Scholastic (K–12)

9:30 AM · Carmel Christian Church · Carmel, IN · Entry: $20

USCF Rated

Oct

National Chess Day — Open (Adults & Kids)

2:00 PM · Carmel Christian Church · Carmel, IN · Entry: $25

USCF Rated

Oct

Day of Chess at IndyPL — Books & Rooks

IndyPL Central Library · Indianapolis, IN · Free · Rated & Unrated sections

Free · USCF Rated

Community

Thanks for your support.

Summit Chess Club is grateful to these organizations that have supported our programs and mission.

Carmel Christian Church

Carmel Clay Public Library (CCPL)

Indianapolis Public Library (IndyPL)

Kid City – Westfield

Indiana State Chess Association (ISCA)

Scholastic Chess of Indiana (SCI)

Hindu Temple of Central Indiana (HTCI)

Tamil Sangam of Central Indiana (TSCI)

Leadership

Run by players, for players.

SCC is built and run by dedicated chess enthusiasts who care about growing the game across Indiana.

Nikhil Murugan

Founder & President

Secretary — Indiana State Chess Association (ISCA), Certified USCF Tournament Director, Chess coach, and Chess Journalists of America (CJA) Judge. Founded Summit Chess Club at age 14. 2024 US Junior Open (U15) Champion, Recipient of the 2026 USCF Scholastic Chess Ambassador Award.

Track Record

Since 2023

Tournaments directed

2,671

Player entries

SCC-branded events

For partner orgs

TD Roles Held

65Chief TD

9Asst/Floor

2Online TD

NM Alex Zhang

Volunteer Coach

USCF National Master & FIDE Candidate Master. 2026 Champion of the Denker National Tournament, bronze medalist — 2025 Pan-American Youth Chess Festival, and multi-time Missouri state champion. Qualified for the U.S. Junior Championship and FIDE World Youth Championship.

Haotian Zhang

Volunteer · TD Trainee

China Chess Association Class-1 Player (2023) & Shanghai Chess Association Master (2024). Led Creekside Middle School to the Middle School Section Championship at the 2026 Indiana Scholastic Chess Tournament.

Volunteer with Us

Tournament Directors & Coaches

We're always looking for passionate players willing to help tournament direct, coach, or assist at events. Reach out if you'd like to get involved and give back to the chess community.

Get In Touch

We'd love to hear from you.

New to chess, looking to enter a tournament, or want to sponsor an event? Reach out anytime.

✉️

Email

summitchessclub@outlook.com

📞

Phone / Zelle

(463) 248-0190

💳

Donations & Entry Fees

Check to Summit Chess Club
Zelle: (463) 248-0190
paypal.me/SummitChessClub

👥

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More than a
chess club.

World-class talent, right here in Carmel.

Watch the highlights.

Thank you to our sponsors & donors.