During her years in the orphanage, Elizabeth almost died for stealing medicine. This incident not only brought her severe punishment, but also caused her to cut off communication with the administrator Mr. Chabei who was once close to her.Four years later, when a middle-class couple decided to adopt her, she left this familiar but scarred place with mixed emotions.

Although Elizabeth's new home is spacious, the relationship between her adoptive parents, Auston and Alma, is not harmonious.The adoptive father often traveled on business, while the adoptive mother was an alcoholic and paid little attention to her.In this environment, Elizabeth learned to be independent. She excelled in school, but she was even more fascinated by chess.She had made mistakes because of this when she was in the orphanage, but now she sees it as spiritual sustenance and motivation to move forward.

Elibesa discovers the autobiography of the great chess master José Capablanca in the school library, which opens up a new world for her.She not only studied the chess game, but also learned persistence and courage from it.However, the pressure of life forced her to consider how to earn extra income, so she decided to participate in the state chess championship, hoping to win prizes and improve her life.

In preparing for the competition, Elizabeth faced various difficulties.Not only did she have to deal with the school curriculum, but she also had to take care of her alcoholic foster mother, and even asked the former administrator, Mr. Chabei, for help in order to raise registration fees.But she never gave up, and her persistence and talent ultimately allowed her to stand out in the competition and win the championship.

This victory not only changed Elizabeth's life, but also caused shock in the chess world.She became the new Kentucky state champion, and her story was published in newspapers and attracted attention.Her adoptive mother also began to care about her competition, and even took the initiative to study the competition schedule and became her agent.