Best Fiction 2022 Indie Reader Discovery Awards

Kirkus Best Indie Books 2022

"Eye-opening and engaging; a triumphant mashup of underdog sporting contest and teen drama." — Kirkus Reviews

"A YA masterpiece that belongs on every teen’s smartphone—an instant classic." — IndieReader

"A superbly plotted YA novel packed full of twists and turns! A FINALIST and highly recommended!" — The Wishing Shelf Book Awards

Class struggle. On the street and over the board.

Urban high school kid Moses Middleton hoped that chess competition could be a ticket out of mediocrity, but everything goes pear-shaped after a disastrous tournament. That’s when he meets Viktor, a mad Russian grandmaster who agrees to coach the team by revealing the secrets of Soviet chess.

Together with his crew — charismatic psychopath P.D. Morales, gifted violinist and expert fencer Esther Toussaint, shy anime fan Maggie Wang, and the new boy, Albanian chess wizard Zamir Hoxha — Moses vows to take the world of New York City scholastic chess by storm. But trouble’s on the way, in the form of neighborhood bullies, a vengeful vice principal, racist gentrifiers, the snooty rich kids from Galton Prep, and, worst of all, a sexual predator who could destroy a young woman’s life and the team’s newfound solidarity.

Perfect for young fans of The Queen's Gambit, this "YA masterpiece" (Indie Reader) combines humor, drama, and social insight.

Praise from Wishing Shelf teen reviewers:
“I never knew what was going to happen next! I liked all the characters. I particularly liked how it ended.”
“The author’s good at putting over young, teenage characters in a realistic way. Not a lot of authors can do that.”
"Refreshingly different with fun, over-the-top characters I enjoyed getting to know. If you like rooting for the underdogs, this is for you.”
“I thought this book was cool. I liked the young characters and how different they all were. Also, I thought chess was original for a YA novel; all I ever see is gaming novels!"