Mallory Greenleaf is done with chess. After the sport led to the destruction of her family four years earlier, Mallory's focus is on her mom, her sisters, and the dead-end job that keeps the lights on. That is, until she begrudgingly agrees to play in one last charity tournament and wipes the board with notorious "Kingkiller" Nolan Sawyer: current world champion and reigning Bad Boy of chess. Mallory's victory opens the door to sorely needed cash prizes, and she can't help feeling drawn to the enigmatic strategist. As she rockets up the ranks, and as her love for the sport begins to rekindle, Mallory realizes that the spotlight is brighter than she imagined, and the competition can be fierce.