In the center of the story is the fate of the fourth world chess champion Aleksandr Alyokhin in one of the most tragic periods of his life: from 1927 to 1946, that is, from winning the champion title to death. A great chess player, completely fearless at the chessboard and ready to play against any opponent, in real life turns out to be too indecisive and fights with himself, his own fears, prejudices and environmental pressure with varying degrees of success.