After suffering a nervous breakdown, a former speed-chess champion volunteers to teach a group of disadvantaged children how to play the game. He must overcome prejudice and violence in the battle to save his chess club, his family and his friends.

Inspired by a Māori speed-chess master known for his volatile temperament, this touching story underlines how belonging and dedication may change the life of underprivileged people. An absorbing look at the Indigenous New Zealand culture with an electrifying performance from Cliff Curtis.