Summary

After a year of running his chess project, Katende decides his players need a goal. He decides to enter players in a chess tournament played by students at several schools in Kampala. At first, the slum children are rejected, but Godfrey Gali, General Secretary of the Uganda Chess Federation, advocates for their inclusion. Sports Outreach pays the registration fees and the Pioneers, plus Phiona's brother Brian enter their first tournament. Despite being mocked by the other participants from well-off schools, Katende's team finishes in the middle of the pack, beating several of the more established chess programs. Outsiders begin to see potential in the children from Katwe.

Katende's chess program grows to include three other slums and he decides to stage an inter-project tournament. Phiona is the only girl to participate and wins 15,000 shillings for being the Girls Champion. This motivates her...