Hong Kong ad man Ching (John Shum) is recruited by an old friend to boost the rating of a tv game show in Taiwan. After discovering a child with psychic abilities, he sets up a televised chess tournament between the boy and a power hungry champion. However, as the competition heats up, many ethical and moral issues begin to surface within this market and media driven environment. At the same time, Ching reminisces about his faithful encounter with a tragic chess master (Tony Leung Ka Fai) during the turbulent days of the Cultural Revolution in 1960s China.