Pawns to Players: The Stairway Scandal

In 1973 Bobby Fischer emerged from relative obscurity to defeat Boris Spassky, the reigning world champion and Grand Master of Chess, six matches to none. Pawns to Players is at once a metaphor for how the elite control our lives, a peculiar love story and a tale of political conspiracy based on a chess match. What begins as an annual rendezvous between two friends, chess and film aficionados, becomes a global conspiracy to undermine and ultimately overturn the elected government of the United States. In honor of her deceased father, Solana Rothschild engages American mega-billionaire William Bates to fulfill her father's dream of enacting a chess game in the real world of American politics, espionage and international finance. Bates agrees, selecting President Jaime Marquez as his king. Solana counters with George Herbert Oppenheim, patriarch of one of Europe's oldest financial empires. The story evolves around a planned coup by Director of Central Intelligence Ely McFadden (Black Queen) to take control of the American government by establishing an all-powerful private intelligence apparatus: The Stairway Corporation. Lured by a promise of unlimited influence, Oppenheim becomes the program's primary sponsor. Rothschild and Bates manipulate the board through an intricate system of strategically placed operatives, advisers and confidants. Backing up McFadden, the Black Team consists of high-ranking government officials, from the White House Chief of Staff to the leaders of America's intelligence agencies to important members of the European banking community. The White Team, led by Secretary of State Shelby Duran (White Queen) and consultant Winfred Holmes (Castle) consists primarily of government officials loyal to the president. The match proceeds, move by move, strategies and counter-strategies unfold and the pieces begin to fall, one by one. At a critical juncture, his allies fallen and his plans eroding, McFadden decides to execute one last desperate move: The assassination of the Secretary of State. To the people swept into the lair, controlled and manipulated by unseen hands, there are real-world, flesh and blood consequences but to the players in their luxurious castles, hotel suites and hideaway retreats, it is just a game. They share a toast and reset the board for their next match.