He printed it out, bound it in leather, and wrote inside the cover: For the next person who needs to learn that chess is not about winning. It’s about seeing the square you forgot existed.

“Where did you learn that?” Mihir whispered.

Finally, in a position that was technically equal, Mihir offered a draw.

The next Sunday, at the Nagpur Chess Club, Arjun faced Mihir, a 12-year-old prodigy who had never lost a club game. Mihir played fast, aggressive, a whirlwind of Sicilian Dragons and Najdorf poison.