Check & Mate

Defne gives Mallory her schedule for her first week, which includes hours of reading and studying rather than playing. In her new office shared with a Grandmaster named Oz, Mallory reads and becomes steadily more bored throughout the week.

Midweek, after giving vague answers to her family about her new “job” at a NYC rec center, Mallory meets Hasan, one of her high school friends, for their last late-night meeting before he leaves for college. They have been having casual sex, and Mallory reflects on how her parents raised her with an openness about sex. Since her father left, she has limited herself to casual encounters, distrusting the commitment required for romantic relationships.

On Wednesday, Mallory meets with Defne for their first meeting to review Mallory’s weaknesses. As a Grandmaster, which is a top rank in chess second only to World Champions, Defne can tell Mallory struggles with her studies so far and pushes her to be honest. After Mallory expresses a belief that the game is learned by playing, Defne challenges her to a game. When Mallory loses, Defne explains that Mallory has excellent instincts, but without more formal training, people who have studied for many years can use conservative tactics to frustrate and defeat her.