In 1994, Bobby, an American divorcé and expatriate, lives in Burundi, working for a man named Jacques who hired him to elevate his country by teaching its citizens chess. Although Bobby has more skill than the average man and can play blindfolded chess, he is no grandmaster. When Jacques learns that Bobby is not who he says he is, he calls for another grandmaster to take his place, this time an American woman named Annie Polger. Having fallen out of Jacques' graces, Jacques' amputee servant boy, Gerard, commands Bobby to pick Annie up from the airport. He does so and quickly snuffs out that Annie is no more a grandmaster than he is. Jacques soon learns that as well and becomes violent for a moment before containing himself. The day following Annie's arrival, the group travels to a university for a string of exhibition matches. Jacques pulls Bobby to the side and says that, despite Annie's lack of skill, they'll find a use for her sexually. Bobby plays his ten games at the same time as Annie. He quickly wins, and he's asked a woman to bless her child. When does so, Jacques becomes angered at Bobby, the conman, posing as someone holy; they fight but are broken up by Annie, who's in the middle of her last game. Two soldiers come and torture Gerard, who they suspect of being a Hutu. Once they leave him alone, Annie leaps up from her game and soothes aching Gerard. Bobby watches, riveted by a feeling he can't quite name but hadn't felt in so long.