In 2005, nine-year-old Phiona Mutesi followed her brother to a dusty veranda in Uganda and met Robert Katende, a war refugee turned missionary. Katende was teaching local kids chess—a game unknown in their language—to help them rise above the poverty of the Katwe slum.
What began as a draw for free porridge soon became a passion. Among the kids, Phiona stood out. By eleven, she was Uganda’s junior champion; by fifteen, the national champion. She became the first titled female chess player in her country and dreams of becoming a Grandmaster—all while facing the harsh realities of life in one of the world’s most unstable regions.
The Queen of Katwe is the inspiring true story of how one girl’s talent and determination reached far beyond the chessboard.