A young boy named Josh Waitzkin discovers his extraordinary gift for chess, much to the surprise and delight of his parents. In a reflective and introspective world where chess is both a game and an intense intellectual pursuit, Josh's father, Fred, becomes deeply invested in nurturing his son's talent. Wanting to provide Josh with the best opportunities, Fred hires Bruce Pandolfini, a renowned but stern chess instructor, to guide him. Bruce takes on the task of polishing Josh's raw natural abilities while ensuring he understands the complexities and disciplines of chess at a professional level. The journey for young Josh soon becomes a balancing act between his love for chess as a game and the pressures that come with competitive success.

As Josh learns to navigate this new path alongside various influences, including friendly games with park hustlers like Vinnie, he experiences both encouragement and resistance. His kind-hearted mother, Bonnie, begins to worry about how the competitive nature of the sport might affect him. Meanwhile, Bruce's rigorous training methods contrast sharply with the relaxed attitude of Vinnie, creating a unique duality in Josh’s development. This tension outlines the central theme of whether genius must come with emotional cost. With each chess match, Josh learns valuable lessons about competition, self-discovery, and the intricacies of human nature. As he advances in his skills, he is faced with the dilemma of maintaining his grounded humanity while pursuing greatness in an often cutthroat environment. Through these experiences, questions arise about how one can reconcile personal ambition with emotional well-being.