Summary

In the prologue, sixteen-year-old Mallory Greenleaf sneakily watches a video while in chemistry class. It is an interview of eighteen-year-old Nolan Sawyer: “the no. 1. chess player in the world” (8). She dreams of someday beating him in chess.

Chapter 1 resumes two years later. Mallory’s chess friend Easton asks her a favor over boba. Easton wants Mallory to play in a chess tournament for charity. Easton teases her, asking if Mallory has some girl or guy she would rather go on a date with than help her. Mallory turned down college scholarships which she won for her chess achievements to care for her family by working as an auto-mechanic. Mallory reluctantly agrees to help Easton, recalling that Easton is soon leaving for college in Colorado.

Mallory makes her bickering teenage sisters—Sabrina and Darcy—breakfast. She warns them not to wake Mom, who is...