At the Moscow classical chess championship, a young promising chess player Zaitsev suddenly dies during a game. Poisoning? Fierce competition? A terrible accident? The answers to these ominous questions are not in sight until the matter is complicated by the murder of another professional chess player, also claiming the proud title of champion. It seems that the gold medal and the victory podium are stained with blood. But who needs it?

Editors' comment: An original detective story, seasoned with an excellent style and embellished with unusual plot twists. Getting on the trail of the real killer before the author's idea is almost impossible, but it's definitely worth a try.