description Check & Mate Overview
Check & Mate is a young adult romance novel by Ali Hazelwood, published in 2023. The story centers on a highly skilled chess prodigy who re-enters the competitive chess world, navigating the pressures of the game and a complex rivalry with a male grandmaster. The book marks Hazelwood's first standalone foray into the young adult category, targeting readers who enjoy contemporary romance combined with competitive sports themes.
help Check & Mate FAQ
Who is Mallory Greenleaf in Check & Mate?
Mallory Greenleaf is an 18-year-old bisexual chess prodigy who has stopped competing after her grandmaster father abandoned the family and later died. She supports her arthritic mother and two younger sisters while working as an auto mechanic.
Who is Nolan Sawyer in Check & Mate?
Nolan Sawyer is a 19-year-old world champion chess player known by the nickname Kingkiller. Mallory unexpectedly defeats him in a charity tournament, turning their rivalry into the novel's central romance.
Why does Mallory return to competitive chess?
After she loses her mechanic job, Mallory realizes that tournament chess could help support her family. She accepts a paid fellowship at a New Jersey chess club and must deal with sudden attention, grief, and sexist assumptions about women players.
When was Check & Mate published, and is it a young adult novel?
Ali Hazelwood published Check & Mate in 2023 as her young adult debut. The US Putnam edition is listed for readers aged 14 and up and runs to 368 pages in paperback.
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