Queen to Play

On Corsica, Hélène ride her bike to a seaside inn where she's a chambermaid; on her afternoons off, she takes the bus to the next town to clean houses. One morning she watches a couple play chess on the veranda while she cleans their room, fascinated by them and curious if it's chess that brings such intimacy. She buys her husband a set for his birthday; he's indifferent, so she tries to teach herself, at night, while he sleeps. She asks one of her clients, Dr. Kröger, if he'll teach her; he grudgingly agrees then finds she has aptitude. To her family, she's strayed beyond her class. After setbacks, will she accept that world view? And the intimacy, does she find that?