ROYAL OAK CHESS CLUB

A chess baord awaiting a game ↑

The unofficial motto for The Royal Oak Initiative is “chess for wisdom and wellness”. And now with a forthcoming Parsons Avenue space– dubbed the Cooperative Chess Cultural Center–founder Ernest Levert aims to take his community chess club to the next level. Also coined ‘the fork’ after the multitasking chess tactic, the center won’t just be a place to compete, but to cultivate an organized space that welcomes all chess players— even those who are non-competitive. →

This neighborhood chess group, complete with new East Side hub, has set its sights on boosting more than just in-game skills

By Jaelani Turner-Williams Photos by Sarah Pfeifer Story Design by Bryce Patterson

“We want this to be a space where people not only learn about the theory inside of chess, but also the history and culture,” Levert said.

Levert first learned the rules of chess in the fourth grade, when he grew a keen interest in the game while traveling to different countries with his father, who was an engineer. While visiting Germany as a child, Levert’s fascination with chess grew so strong that he would play games with a coworker of his father.

“I’ve always enjoyed puzzles and problem-solving; I like working things out,” Levert said. “Because there’s so much complexity to chess, there’s always something new to discover.”

He also believes Columbus residents–of any age–can take meaningful lessons away from the game as well.

Ernest Levert, Royal Oak Initiative founder ↑

We want this to be a space where people not only learn about the theory inside of chess, but also the history and culture "

“There may be a young person in Columbus who loves the framework that chess provides for learning about themselves and about the world. If we can cultivate some of that here, let’s lock that in. Chess at the intermediate levels—it's not difficult to get better, you just have to put in the time,” he said.

Although The Royal Oak Initiative chess meets are typically held at Upper Cup Coffee in Olde Towne East, the idea for a chess center first came to Levert as an undergrad Engineering student while attending The Ohio State University. Levert at the time was approaching senior year with a waning passion for his major. One morning, he awoke at 3 a.m. and meandered around Weinland Park. He stopped at a building where he envisioned a youth center, bridging cultural knowledge for Black and brown children.

His late-night vision has finally become a reality, however, as Royal Oak is slated to take over the former tattoo parlor located just across Parsons Avenue from Upper Cup, a location that was quite literally a stone’s throw away during previous club meetings.

To Levert, solving a chess puzzle is equivalent to solving a life problem in general, so it simply makes sense that he would use the game as a way to teach real-life skills as well. Using chess to teach economic empowerment and financial literacy to Royal Oak members, Levert has also created a method of “chess breathing” for attendees, one step of many toward Royal Oak’s overall goal of improving community wellness.

“What I’m most excited about with our wellness programing is helping people to believe in themselves [and] learning how to make peace with loss. You are not your wins, you are not your losses—that’s the first lesson,” Levert said. “The second part of it is, what can you learn from your losses? It’s okay to lose. Just don’t lose on purpose, and don’t lose the same way twice. Mistakes are proof that you’re trying.”

Crediting meditation and mindfulness training with blocking out distracting thoughts, Levert uses chess to approach problems and decide his ideal outcome. With chess as a wellness tool, he encourages others to tap into their highest mental potential as well.

“It’s gonna be a lot easier to work through the nuances and the complexity of the problem if you are prepared with the framework to fall back on,” he said. “In this season of my life, I’m feeling really overwhelmed emotionally. Oftentimes in chess, you have to learn how to navigate your emotions. It’s the difference between drowning in your emotions and swimming in them; you have the skillset to navigate the environment.”

Levert noted that there’s still space to play chess competitively, if that’s what Royal Oak members are after. The new center will include New York-style speed chess and rated tournaments.

“As a chess organizer, it’s important to provide a space where people can come and play, but also, [where] the best players can come and get a good game and be challenged,” he said.

Two children playing a game of chess ↓

" What I’m most excited about with our wellness programing is helping people to believe in themselves [and] learning how to make peace with loss... "

Chess club patrons playing a game of chess ↓

Ernest Levert pondering his next move ↑

A crossroads for the casual and competitive chess player, the center — which is slated to fully open in June— will also be a launchpad of technology. Offering streaming services for game playing, technological boards where pieces move themselves, chess clockmaking, and online chess gaming, the Cooperative Chess Cultural Center will be an intergenerational melting pot.

Now a first-time father himself, Levert said that his infant daughter has changed his scope of life well beyond the chess board.

“I’m taking a much stronger look at what it means to operate intergenerationally. We’re living in the future right now, so part of it is reimagining what kind of world we’re working towards,” he said. “[Fatherhood has] encouraged me and allowed me to reconsider what kind of world I want to work towards creating.”

And just like his father taught him, Levert hopes others Royal Oak and its new hub will be the catalyst that encourages others to continue the tradition of playing chess throughout generations.

“Once your child does better than you, continue to support them; don’t stop what’s working. My dad scaled back tremendously once I beat him, Levert said. “There’s an idea of encouragement: Let’s cooperate together, let’s learn together, and not only celebrate diverse cultures that chess touches, but let’s create culture ourselves.”

Learn more at www.theroichess.org