The Champion’s Crossing

The narrator’s curiosity about the world champion grows into a contest that brings a hidden rival into view.

increasingBearing stren­gth in each eventdecreasing

Celebrity at Departure

A Champion Boards The shipboard spectacle The narrator notices reporters gathering around an unfamiliar celebrity as the liner prepares to sail from New York. His companion identifies him as Mirko Czentovic, the reigning world chess champion bound for Buenos Aires. Curiosity takes hold The brief introduction turns the champion into a mystery. His fame promises an unusual encounter, but his guarded manner keeps the narrator at a distance.

The First Draw

An Unexpected Intervention A position in danger In a paid match, the passengers find themselves close to defeat by Mirko Czentovic. An unknown passenger interrupts just as McConnor is about to make a disastrous move. A rival emerges The stranger calculates a defensive sequence with uncanny speed, guiding the group toward a draw. The world champion’s attention shifts from the amateurs to the passenger who has changed the contest.

A Match Abandoned

Victory and Warning The first encounter Dr B plays a measured game against Mirko Czentovic and eventually forces the champion to concede. The victory excites the spectators, but the narrator sees the strain beneath Dr B’s apparent ease. The danger returns When a second game begins, deliberate delays and mounting excitement unsettle Dr B. A confused, illegal move reveals that the old mental crisis is returning, and he ends the match before it can consume him again.

At midnight, before the ship leaves New York

After several days at sea, during the second group match

The day after the narrator hears Dr B’s history