 Tension between the East and the West escalate and the radio warns that a nuclear war is becoming a distinct possibility. Liverpudlian Michael Angelis takes his two young sons to London by train. The older of the two boys, Carl (Tony Carney), is a chess prodigy. The younger son (David Cardy) is a normal boy with no interest in chess. They arrive at a Chess event where visiting Russian Grand Master Krylov (played by Michael Poole) plays several games simultaneously. Unbeknown to his accompanying KGB escort Krylov is hoping to manufacture an opportunity in which he can defect. Krylov easily beats all of his opponents except for Carl. After a long struggle they reach the decisive point in their game, while the tensions between East and West also reach a climax...