Orphan Beth Harmon overcomes her fears and shyness by learning to play chess and, over the years, improves her game to become national champion and to play the world grandmasters.

Invited to a parent-child weekend chess tournament, freshman Daniel discovers that his father was once one of the country's leading young players but that the intense competition surrounding the game proved to be unhealthy, a past they are forced to confront when they meet a former rival.

Vowing to avenge the murder of her family, Maria, a young Polish resistance worker imprisoned in Auschwitz, plays chess in exchange for her life, and, in doing so, challenges the man who destroyed her family to one last game that will end in either failure or justice.

Wealthy Malia faces the consequences of circulating an anti-palm-oil petition at her school, resulting in suspensions for herself, her best friend, and her teacher. Ari, fortunate to be plucked from his impoverished village to attend school and compete in chess tournaments, helps the uncle who is hosting him but worries about Ginger Juice, the orangutan his uncle keeps in a cage. When Ari learns about orangutan rehabilitation centers from Malia's...

Jennifer Shahade, a two-time US Women's Chess Champion, spent her teens and twenties travelling the world playing chess. In this ultra male-dominated sport, Jennifer found shocking sexism, but she also found friendships, feminism and hope. Through her own story as well as interviews with international players, Jennifer invites us into the extremely competitive world of chess. She shows us the rivalry and the camaraderie; the ecstatic highs and the...