Detroit City Chess Club started 20 years ago out of the success of the Detroit Duffield Elementary & Middle Chess team in early 2000’s. Coach Kevin Fite started the competitive team at Duffield. One of its star players Markiya Alexander asked Coach Fite “What if our High School doesn’t have chess, where are we going to play?”. Not knowing an immediate answer, Coach Fite reached out to his circle of friends and family. One of his friends Alicia Bulmer had suggested the Detroit Institute of Arts. Ms. Bulmer set up a meeting with the DIA and Coach Fite and from then on the DCCC has met and played at the DIA since 2003.
Over the years, DCCC has grown from a few students from Detroit Duffield to reaching thousands of kids from all over the metro Detroit area. DCCC not only reaches kids but has a large following of adults that regularly play every Friday evening.
DCCC students have traveled all over the United States competing and winning National Championships. Our kids have traveled to Dallas, TX; Sacramento, CA; San Diego, CA; Denver, CO; Louisville, KY; Orlando,FL; Nashville, TN; Pittsburgh, PA; Grapevine, TX; Cincinnati, OH; Cleveland, OH; Columbus, OH; Chicago, IL and Windsor, ON.
One of our star players Charisse Woods has represented the United States 2 years in a row at the World Youth in 2018 (Greece) and 2019 (India). She is the first player in Detroit history to compete at the World stage.
Detroit City Chess Club has also hosted the Thinkers series chess tournament for the last 10 years to provide kids in metro Detroit youth the opportunity to hone their skills. DCCC is a 501C3 which is named after our tournament series called Young Detroit Thinkers.
Over the years, DCCC has hosted many Grandmasters who conducted Simultaneous (Simuls) or gave lectures like 5-time U.S Champion Hikaru Nakamura, 7-time U.S female Champion Irina Krush, Maurice Ashley (1st African American GM ever), former World Champion (Under 16) Alexander Lenderman, former U. S Champion Gregory Kaidonav, former women’s world Champion Alexandra Kosteniuk, Sergey Kudrin, former Mexican national Champion Manuel Leon Hoyos, former Michigan great Benjamin “Ben” Finegold, WGM Martha Fierro and National Master the late Dr. David Allen from Cleveland.
DCCC has also brought in local greats long-time National Master John Brooks, James “Jimmy” Canty, International Master Atulya Shetty, International Master Safal Bora, National Master Bill J. Calton, National Master Ariel Levi and, Mickey Maloy.
Detroit City Chess Club is also host of the All-City Chess Team which is held once a year at the Detroit Institute of Arts honoring Detroit’s top chess players.
There are several individuals inducted into the Detroit City Chess Club’s Harold Steen Hall of Fame which is long-time educator Karen Clingman, National Master John Brooks, Ed Mandell (All of the King’s Men and store), late chess Coach Glenn Smith, and the late chess Coach Malcolm Lewis.
DCCC meets at the Detroit Institute of Arts on Friday evenings from 4 pm to 8 pm. Due to the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic, the DCCC chess practice has been put on hold until further notice.