Set in the late 1920s, The Luzhin Defence concerns a chess Grand Master who arrives in Italy to play the match of his life and unexpectedly finds love. Since discovering his talent in a boyhood overshadowed by his parents′ failing marriage, Luzhin′s passion for chess has become his refuge from the real world. Escaping an arranged marriage, Natalie is drawn to Luzhin. Just as Natalie is opening up a new world for Luzhin, a dark figure from his past arrives in town. Valentinov is the schoolteacher who recognised Luzhin′s boyhood talent and then exploited it. For a decade, he acted as Luzhin′s self-appointed mentor and manager, focusing Luzhin′s every waking moment on the game and earning a pretty good living in the process. When Valentinov discovers Luzia has made it to the world championship, he reappears to prey on Luzhin′s weakness for his own gain... It appears that the world of chess could destroy Luzhin′s dreams of happiness.