Maarten Dannenberg

In 1934 Diego Padilla wins the Spanish Championship of Chess and meets a French journalist, Marianne Latour, and they fall in love. Marianne convinces Diego to live in France with their daughter, where shortly afterwards Diego will be accused of spying by the Nazis and imprisoned. Diego will try to survive in a hostile environment thanks to Colonel Maier's passion for chess.

At a far-flung stagecoach stop in the Wild West, an unexpected visit from a man called “Colonel” will disrupt the peaceful lives of all he encounters.