The Grandmaster's Gift

Incoming Editorial·Reviewed July 3, 2026

In the late 1990s, young Yixuan grows up as a “latchkey kid” in Wanhua, Taipei. With his father busy driving a taxi, Yixuan spends lonely afternoons wandering local diners and Youth Park. In the park, he meets Liu Bin, a lonely chess master. Yixuan finds guidance and warmth in his new teacher, who challenges him to daily matches with a small wager. This bond bridges generations, revealing how love can emerge in unexpected places and how life, much like chess, unfolds in unpredictable ways.