1929: Alexander Luzhin, shambling, unworldly and eccentric chess Grand Master arrives in a North Italian lakeside resort to play the match of his career. A childhood prodigy, chess has been his refuge and his passion in a life bereft of love and affection. His boyhood haunts him still: the breakup of his parents' loveless marriage; the death of his mother; the rejection by his Aunt Anna, the only adult who ever showed him affection and who introduced him to the game; the moment when his genius is finally recognised and exploited. Into the adult Luzhin's obsessional life comes Natalia, a beautiful Russian woman, whose aristocratic parents are determined to marry her off well. Her mother, Vera, has her eye on the perfect candidate: Comte Jean de Stassard, a charming and extremely presentable chess amateur who has come to the resort to follow the tournament. Natalia is well aware that Stassard finds her attractive and he presents a very suitable match for her. But any notion of desire turns to friendship, for after an unorthodox initial encounter, it is Luzhin she is drawn to. Where Stassard offers her boating trips and light conversation, Luzhin offers the unconventional option of erratic declarations and moments of genius. Flying in the face of parental disapproval, she embarks on a whirlwind romance. Just as Natalia is opening up a whole new world for Luzhin, a figure from his past arrives in town to upset his newfound happiness. Valentinov is the schoolteacher who recognised his boyhood talent and then exploited it. For a decade or so he acted as Luzhin's self-appointed mentor and manager, focusing Luzhin's every waking moment on the game, and earning a pretty good living in the process. But when Luzhin momentarily loses his touch, Valentinov abandons him in Budapest, taking off to represent a newer, more promising talent. When Valentinov discovers Luzhin has made it to the world championship, he reappears to prey on Luzhin's weakness for his own gain. It seems that Luzhin and Natalia are conspired against by family and friends - old and new - as Luzhin's world of chess threatens to consume him and destroy any chance of their happiness.