All language subtitles for Life.of.a.King.2013

Want to play again?

Give you a chance
to get those cigarettes back.

I'm scared, man.

Don't got too many friends
on the outside.

Not anymore.

Just keep your eye
on the end game.

Everything will fall
into place.

I'm going to miss you,
chess man.

Listen to me, Eugene.

Every day you out there,
you out there for me

and every other brother
in here

who's never going
to be out there again.

I made this for you.

Take care of the king.

Everything else follows.

You good?
Yeah.

*

(Eugene)
Jamal, I appreciate you
for this, my brother.

(Jamal)
Hey, man, I--
I owe you one.

Well, since your memory
serves you so well,

think you can help me
find some work?

Honest work?

I think I can
do something.

(Eugene)
There's the halfway house,
my brother.

Pull over there.

Hey, you need a car?

Actually,
I'm friends with Jamal.

I'm here about a job.

Right. Right. Yeah.

Well, we got
some spots
in the night shift.

What kind
of late hours
you keep?

I keep whatever hours
you need me to keep.
[chuckles]

That's a good answer.
That's a good answer.

All right,
fill that out.
Great.

When could you start?

Whenever is clever.
[chuckles]

A lot of guys
who come in here
looking for work,

head cases.

Ex-cons at best.

When did you get out?

Sorry.

Hello, Eugene.

Trini?

Is that you, baby?

My goodness, Trini.

Y-You want your usual,
extra chocolate?

No, I can't.
I have class.

What are you studying?

Pre-law.

My daughter's
going to be a lawyer.

Listen, Trini, I know
it's been a long time, but--

I'm-I'm sorry,
I just...

I don't have time
for this right now.

But I wanted
to come tell you
in person.

Marco's locked up.

He's been
in juvenile detention
for almost a year now.

Selling drugs.

I really
have to go now.

Wait, wait, Trini, please.

I really
have to go,
Eugene.

I'm sorry.

Take care.

Some things change...

other things
stay the same damn way.

I'll be damned.

What's up, buddy?
Been too long, man.

Yes, sir.
I'm out.

You got a place to stay?

Halfway house.

I can hook you up with a car.

Remember Andre?
Dre?

He's got a Crown Vic
just sitting there.
Word?

Beat up.

On its last legs.

So, no brother really wants
to take that off his hands.

Watch this.
I can grab it for you.

It'll do you some good.
I appreciate it.
Yes, sir.

Thank you,
my brother.
[chuckles]

What I really need
is a job, though.

Money is just--

cash is tight, man.

Seems like nobody
wants to hire
an ex-con.

Parole board
didn't set you up?

There's a waiting list.

Maybe a couple
of weeks at least.

Look, man, I do maintenance
over at the Maud Alton school.

I can try and put
a good word in for you.
Is that right?

Yeah.
It's not so bad
if you don't mind

hanging around the kids all day.
Psh.

I hung around
a lot worse.

Can't make any promises now.
Hey, you know me.
It's all good.

What about Perry?

He still hang around?
Oh, yeah.

After you went in,
he became the man around here.
Word?

Yeah, he's got his hands
in some of everything, man.

Good for him.

[scoffs]
What?

I'm glad
you came home, Eugene.

I ain't got nowhere else to go.

*

Ma'am, I'm going
to cut to the chase.

I'm a real hard worker.
I'm disciplined.
Keep to myself.

Well, I, I haven't even
given you a job description yet.
[chuckles]

Well, whatever it is,
I'll get it done.

You know, we've been losing
our funding left and right.

So, the pay
wouldn't be very good.

I understand.

How long have you known Billy?

Since I was 14.

Well, he speaks highly of you.

Like I said,
the-the pay won't be good

and the kids, well,
they are a handful.

Well, I'm real good
with children.

I got
two beautiful kids
of my own.

I know how
to handle them
pretty good.

Well, when would you
be able to start?

Yesterday.

Well, well, well.

My brother, my brother.

Perry.

Look at you.

Look at you.

Just living the good life.

So, you're out now.
I'm out.

Look, I just wanted
to say, okay--

Perry, let's let the past
stay in the past, all right?

You're not even going
to give me a chance
to say what I was going to say?

If you need anything,
anything, okay?

A job,

a lady,

I want you to give me a call,
all right?

The way I'm living now,

what I got now,

I owe you that.

Here's my number.
Don't be afraid to use it.

Hey, boys, you're looking
at a living legend.

One of the last true soldiers.

I used to run behind him.

They don't get it.

They ain't like us, Gene.

They don't appreciate.

Hey,
I want you to call me,

all right?

Let's go.

What's going on here?

What is this?

Why you looking at me?
Why are you even
in detention, Cliff?

Why do you even
bother showing up here
if you don't give a damn

about anything, least of all,
your future at Maud Alton?

You're tripping, Ms. Gadbaw.

Why do you think
I'm up in here, huh?

These my best customers.

I want you both
in Princi--

Hey, did I tell you
I saw Katrina?

My baby's going to be a lawyer.

Oh, yeah?
Trini?

Yes, sir.

Man.
[chuckles]

She was always bright, that one.

Got that right.

How about Marco?

(Ms. King)
Excuse me.

Now, what exactly
happened in here?

What are you
talking about,
Ms. King?

I mean,
where did
Ms. Gadbaw go?

[snickers]
She won't be here
for the rest of the day.

Does that mean
we get to be out
for the rest of the day, too?

No, that doesn't, T.

Now I'm going to find
a replacement monitor.

Each of you
will act responsibly

while I do so.

Is that clear?

Ms. King.
Have a good day,
now.

Everything all right?

No, actually.

Ms. Gadbaw,
the detention monitor...

Mr. Brown, would you mind
doing me a quick favor?

It'll only take a minute.

Now, if there are
any problems in here,

Mr. Brown
will report them
directly to me.

I'm not joking.

Thank you so much.
I'll be back
with a monitor soon.

It's fine.

Hey, y'all supposed
to be out of your seats?

Hey, man, we just getting up
so you can clean the gum
off the bottom of our chairs.

I got to go to the bathroom.

Not until Ms. King gets back.
She'll be back in a minute.

Come on. Please?

What's your name,
son?

I'm Percy Hall.

Yo, sit down,
Peanut.

Peanut?

Is that what
they call you?

Hey.
Hey, all right.
That's enough, now.

Come on, y'all.

Have a seat.

Sit down.

You let me go to the bathroom,
I can make them sit
and stay down.

No deal.
Man.

Hey, I'm not going
to tell y'all again,
sit down.

Yo, relax, man.

Man, we ain't got
to listen to no janitor.
You ain't no teacher.

Have a seat, son,
right now.

Or what?

You some kind of tough guy?

You want to find out?

[Woman]
What is he doing?

Sit down.

What you nodding
your head for, Peanut?

All right.

Trini.

How do you know
where I live?
I looked you up.

Just because I went to jail
don't mean I can't read.
"Doesn't" mean you can't read.

Hey, Trini, Trini.

It's "Katrina."

Sorry.

Katrina.

I got a job at your old school.

I know I made mistakes
in the past, a lot of mistakes.

I'm just trying
to make things right,
that's all.

I'm just trying to make things
right with you, Katrina.

You're my girl.

Trini.

You're my gir--

Trini.

I just want
to make things
right for us.

Ms. King.

Mr. Brown.

Thanks again for the other day.

I was--
I was really impressed.

You're welcome.

Well, I'm off to a meeting.
Keep up the good work.

about the other day.

When is Ms. Gadbaw
coming back?

She's not.

Oh, well, what
are you going to do
about detention?

What you doing in these parts?

I missed my bus, was late.

I don't plan on
making it a habit.

Maybe you should.

I'm here.

Name's Michelle,
right?

I'm T.

I know who you are.

All right, let's go.
Everybody have a seat.

Look who it is.

You here to clean
the blackboards?

For those of you
who don't remember me,
my name is Eugene Brown.

Does that mean
we can call you "Genie?"

That'd be the last thing
you ever call me.

What's that?

This here
is a chess board.

Anybody know how
to play chess?

You think you're
pretty smart, huh?

Why don't you
come up here
and play me a game, then.

You're corny, man.
I ain't playing
no games with you.

What's your name,
son?

Clifton.
And I ain't your son.

Fair enough,
Clifton.

Big bad Clifton.

Well, okay, if you
ain't got the guts
to play me, Clifton,

does anybody else?
Anyone?

I'll play this.

You like cards?

Fine.

We'll play cards.

Here's the deal.
If you win...

the whole class gets
to do whatever they want
for the rest of detention.

What?

But if I win,
you learn a new game.
You hustling me?

Hustle?
You're the one that
wanted to play cards, homie.
You right.

Go ahead and play
this clown, Peanut.

You'll never get beat.

You know the game...

find the red ace?

My name is Peter Paul.
I come from Montreal.

Came to play 'em all.

I've broken hipsters
and slicksters,
elbows, and a-holes.

Your name is Peter what?

Go ahead and pick
the one you like.

Bet you're dead, Jack.
Man, I see it.

I see it.

Don't you worry
about me seeing it.

See, here's
what happened to you.

You thought
you knew the truth,
but it wasn't there.

And it never will be
until you learn
where to look.

He's messing
with you, Peanut.

Man, I can catch it.

I-I-I was just
screwing around, man.

Let me get one more shot.

One more shot?
Yeah.

My name is Peter Paul.
I come from Montreal.

I came to play 'em all.

Make sure you see it.

This is a king.

This is your life.

One mistake
and it can be
taken away.

Look, man.

Yo, this is going
to be the meeting spot.

All you got to do
is go in there,

grab the stuff,
and be out.

You get the money yet?

No, man, I ain't
seen my uncle
in two weeks.

What the hell
we going to do, Cliff?
I don't...

Look, man,
if I can't
get the money...

Forget it, man.
We're just
going to lift it.

My cousin gave it to me.

That's fly, right?

You know I don't
roll like that, Cliff.

Well, how do you roll?

You don't see
what a good
opportunity this is?

You ain't got no job,
you ain't got no money,

you ain't
got no opportunity,
your mom's half gone--

Shut up about my mom, man.
Yo, that's the truth,
T, and you know it.

Look, man,
we pull this job off

and we ain't
got to worry about
nothing no more.

Nothing.

Now, you think
about that.

Now, everyone on the board
is here for one reason
and one reason only.

To protect the king.

That is right.

To protect the king.

Now, he is old
and has survived
many battles.

So he can only move
one spot at a time.

So, who's got his back
if he can only move one spot?

The queen.

Now, she is smarter,
faster, and stronger
than her king.

The knight is the horse.

Now, he can move
two spots forward
and one spot to the side.

The trusty bishop
is his diagonal attack.

The rook,
he patrols
the entire board.

He can move
as many spaces
as he wants,

as long as it's
in the same direction
he was moving.

Oh yes, the pawns.

They are the front line.

They will be casualties.

(Cliff)
This crap's boring, man.

Kids game.

What you reading?

Let me put it
to you this way,

a way you'll understand.

Think about it
like this.

Who's your supplier?

Hey, you tripping.

Hey, I know you ain't growing
that weed you're selling

and so does everybody else
in here you're trying
to sell it to.

So, who's your guy?
Huh?

Your ace in the hole.

Trying to protect your king.
I like that.

Okay.
All right.

Well, then let's
call this king, "Perry."

King Perry it is.

Now, King Perry has an army
and you're a part of it.

But the problem is,

you think you're out there
doing the king's business,

all you're really doing
is sacrificing yourself.

Like the pawn you truly are.

It ain't like that, B.

It's exactly like that, partner.

Now, if you want to keep
making the same mistakes
for a king who could

care less about your ass,
out there is the board
to do it on.

But if you want to learn
how to make the right
maneuvers,

this is where you do it.
Right here on this board.

So, what do you want,
what do you want to do?

You want to learn how to play?

Played out, man.

I'll play.
Me, too.

There it is.

Very nice.

Man, Peanut, that
ain't the right move.

Use the horse,
it moves in and out.

Right there.

No, man, right--
What, are you blind,
man?

Tahime, why don't you
play your own game?

Man, I'm just watching.

How did you see that attack?

What you mean "see?"

It's obvious.

Peanut's just stupid.

(Peanut)
Hey, Mr. Brown.

Hey,
what you doing?

Going to get
a ride, man.

Don't ride
with that fool.

I'd rather walk.

Let's go.

It's right up here.

That's T's mama.

You all live here?

Yeah. T eats
at my place every night.

His mama don't cook.

She's real messed up, man.

Thanks for the ride,
Mr. Brown.
Anytime, son.

Take care
of yourself.

No, no, Marco.
Marco, please.

Please, man.
Have a seat.

Come on, man.
Please.

Thank you.

Thank you, son.

Did you get any of my letters?

I've been out
for a couple weeks now.

I've been teaching
these kids chess down
in the old neighborhood.

I got this one kid
that reminds me of you.

Who the hell
do you think you are?

You never
taught me nothing.

You're the last person
that has a right
to be talking.

Okay. Okay.

Guard.
No, Marco.

Marco, wait.
No, Marco, wait.

No, wait, son.
Don't be like that.
Son.

Please.

Everybody, look up here.
You see this?

There's an open tournament
in Virginia
in a couple of months.

We're not ready
for no tournament.

That might be true
and that might not be.

But one thing's for sure
is you're never going
to find out

if you don't give it a try.

If anybody wants to road trip,
there will be a sign up sheet.

I ain't trying
to be white, man.

Fine, white goes first.

White goes first.

See, that shows you
how stupid this game is.

Hell yeah, black
always got to go first.
Amen.

T, you could be
one hell of a player.

But your problem
and everyone else
in this room's problem

is you don't
give a damn about rules.

Especially you.

What's the word?

You got my money?

I know it's not
as much as usual--

You damn straight
it's not as much.

Sales are down.

Sales are down?

What, you an economist
now, negro?

You know Eugene Brown?

Yeah,
I know Eugene Brown.
He's my man.

Well, your man
is stealing your business.

'Cause I'm just saying.

And he runs detention
over at Maud Alton now.

He telling the kids
not to buy from me anymore.
Hold up.

Eugene Brown runs detention?

That's hilarious.

Man,
get the hell
out of here.

You better start
turning over
more product.

Or I'm not even
going to think
about coming up

with that big job
I've been telling
you about.

Understand me?

Go.

Darius.

Who do you know
over at Maud Alton

that can do Uncle Perry
a little favor?

[man mumbles]
Hold on. Hold on.
Next time...

I'm going
to get two pieces.
[chuckles]

Shut the door up.

Get out.

(Man)
What the hell?

(Woman)
Tahime, baby.

Wait a minute.
Wait a minute.
Wait. Wait.

Damon's just my friend.

I'm going to make some dinner.

I got some spaghetti.

Oh, baby.
I don't want to be here.

Barging in like that.
What's wrong with you?
You don't talk to him.
Get out!

What's wrong with you?
Don't go.
Where are you going?

Come back at 9:00, okay?

Got to go to school
in the morning.

In here, you're either
teaching lessons
or you're learning them.

You must think
before you move.

Hey, Peanut.
[claps]

What are you doing?
What did I just say?

Think before you make
your next move.

And you didn't.

Y'all got to start
paying attention, man.

In here and in life.

'Cause out in the streets,
it's not checkmate.

It's incarceration.
It's wheelchair.

Man, I can't take
much more of this.

Peanut, get up, bro.

I got you.

You want to start over?

I got him beat.

No.

Go.

This is all I need.

Check.

Checkmate.

Where did you
learn how to do that?

Told you, it's just
a simple stupid game, man.

Got something I want
to talk to you about,
all right, man?
What's up?

Can't tell nobody,
all right?
I won't.

I'm serious.

I won't.

Me and Cliff,
we got some
real things going on.

Real easy money.

And I want you
in on it with me.

What you want me to do?

Try it.
Just in case,
you know?

All I got to do is roll?

Yeah, man.

You trust me?

I trust you.

I want you
in on this with me.

For real.

All right.
My man.

Okay, so, that-that's--
I got it put away this time.

It's a whole body throw.

Nothing, 'cause you
about to airball it.

Oh, I did it.
I'm a beast.
Uh-oh.

Oh, man.
I'm a beast.
I told you.

You're right on the ball.

Ms. King, you said
you wanted to see me?

Oh, yes, I-I-I did.
Come on in. Have a seat.
Okay.

This isn't easy for me.

*

Who gave you this?
Someone dropped it
in my mailbox
yesterday afternoon.

Listen,
I'm not the same man
I was back then.

You lied to me, Mr. Brown.

I have to let you go.

You should see
these kids, man.
They're learning.

I'm against
the wall here, though,

and I don't have a choice.
I'm sorry.

Chess is no different
than life.

These suburban kids,
they know
they get good grades,

they go off to college.

They know
they're going to own
their own business someday.

They envision the end game.

But poor kids
don't think like that.

Mr. Brown, I--
I wasn't taught like that.

I didn't--I didn't
see the end game

and it cost me, man.
It cost me big.

I know.

I am still here for you
and the chess program.

Just not in the school.

Not anymore.

Hey, Mr. Brown.

Get back to class, Peanut.

You mad at me?

No.

But chess club is cancelled.

What? Why?

Politics.

Politics?

Man, that's an excuse.

What about fighting
our way out of a corner?

What was
I thinking, man?

Chess.

I don't think you guys
want to buy in.

Oh, snap.

Mean Gene Brown.

The one
with the frown.

So, what's up, man?

Guess I just had
to see this place again.

Word on the street
is you lost your job.

Look, it's hard
out there
for an ex-con.

And the system's
not even set up

to support
going straight.

That's just
the world, baby,

trying to keep another
beautiful black man down.

That's all right,
though, because
I'm going to help you out.

I owe you at least that.

Why are you looking
at me like that,
Mean Gene?

All right.
All right.

There you go.

Oh, oh, you don't have
to do nothing for this.

It's on the house.

You just don't get it, brother.

I'm one of the pillars
in this community now.

Look, I help these folks out.

The way that the government
don't have the time
or the means to.

I'm going to help you out
a little bit, too.

Come on, baby.

Come on home.

It's always good
chatting with you, Perry.

See you soon,
Gene.

See you
real soon.

Anybody want to come
to the park and play
some chess with me?

Hey, janitor,
that was detention.

We had to be there.

You don't even
work here no more.

Hey, T, you want
to waste your potential, too?

Come on, man.

Yo, Peanut.

Let's go get a game
at the park, man.
Come on.

No, man.
I don't like
the politics.

Oh, it's like that?

Nicely done.

What's up with Tahime?

Why is he so attached
to Clifton?

Well, you know,
Clifton was always
the biggest kid in the class.

It's been like that
since we was babies.

And T, man,
he's just as scared
to be on the streets as me,

but he's not going
to say nothing.

You're a good man,
Peanut.

And this is for you.

It's official.

You're president
of the chess club.

Chess club?

It's just you and me.

We don't even have
a homeroom, man.

Everybody has that.

Well,
it is
what it is.

It's beautiful.

It's where it's all
going to happen.

What's going to happen?

A bonfire?

You got to have
a little vision, Peanut.

Sure, it needs some work.

But when I look
at this place,

I see a mansion
of possibilities.

Hello?

Katrina,
it's your father.

I can't talk
right now.

Oh, I understand.

Maybe later.

Is everything
all right?

Oh no, yeah,
everything's fine.

I just...

you know, I want--
I wanted to tell you

that I was--
I'm thinking
about opening up

a community chess house.

There's some pretty good
little players at that school.

A chess house?
How are you going
to be able to afford that?

Well, I've been--

I've been
looking around a little bit.

A lot of these houses
have been foreclosed on.

I can probably rent one
for next to nothing.

You know, Billy
lent me some money already.

Katrina, I know things
aren't exactly right
between us.

But maybe they can be
for those kids.

Since when do you care
so much about kids, Eugene?

Since I lost you.

To refresh,
ladies, pawns
can move two spots

or one--
[door opens]

How goes it, gentlemen?

Nice place
you got here,
chess man.

Did it come
with asbestos?

Hey, if you're not
here to help, Clifton,

you're more than
welcome to leave.

Oh, that's cool,
we just came for Peanut.

Peanut?
Peanut is--

He ain't going nowhere.
He's working.

Working for who?
For you?

Peanut, he paying you?

Come on, Cliff.
No, you got W2 s?

I mean, was there
an interview process?

Let me see your resume.
Please. Come on.

Yo, if he don't want to go,
man, just let him stay.

No, he's coming.

Let's go.

I just told you he stays.

Now, if you want
to throw your life away,
so be it.

But he's with me.

What's up, son?
Hey, hey, hey.
It's cool, it's cool.

You don't want this.
You don't want it.
It's cool.

Please.

I'm here for you, son.

Hear me?

Flash your lights.

Think they're still...

All right.

Now, T,
you come with me.

Peanut, stay with the car.

Alone?

Alone?

Little PB don't want
to stay alone?

All right, T,
you stay with the car.

Peanut, you bring
your simple self with me.

Yo, Cliff, I don't think
that's such a good--
Shut up.

Stay focused, man, all right?

(Cliff)
Let's go, Peanut.

You have to envision
the end game.

Anytime you find
yourself behind,

your mind got you there.

(Cliff)
When we get up there
you know I do the talking,
right?

(Peanut)
Don't trip.
I got you.

Yo, what's up?
What y'all got?

No.

This is the king.

The king is your life.

One mistake...

(Cliff)
I-I don't
got the cash, bro.

And it can be taken.

Get up, man.

Get up.

Peanut, man.

There's that thinking.

I can see
if you're cheating me
from over here.

Big Chair Chess Club.

You stay right there.
I'm on my way.

Tahime.

What's up?

What's going on, man?
Where's Peanut?

Oh, man.
What did you do?

What did
you do, man?

What's going on?

Talk to me.

Talk to me, man.
What's going on?

Girls left the door unlocked.

Hi.

Tahime.

How are you doing?

I'm going to miss him, too.

He was always really sweet.

I don't know about all that.

Yo, T.

Yo, let's ride, man.

We're going down
to Spiders.

I'm good.

Look, man, I miss
the little guy, too.

But that's how life is
on these streets, man.

I'm going to make
the run myself this time.

I hope we can
put this behind us.

For your sake.

What's up, Michelle?

Stop.

Are you okay?

A young man is dead
because of me.

I should have
never let him go.

It's not true
and you know it.

You know what?

For the first time
in my life, I am actually
very proud of you.

You started something here.

They don't listen,
Trini.

They don't listen.
I didn't.

Your brother doesn't.

They see that easy money
as the only way out,
and you know what?

Sometimes I don't blame them
for thinking that way.

So you're just
going to give up?

They think I'm nuts,
okay?

Trini, they think
I'm looney.

And you know what?
I'm starting
to believe them.

I'm starting
to believe them.

You ain't nuts.

Clifton, he's nuts.
But you...

You're all right.

Where did you get this?

Peanut had that in his hand
before the police came.

Let's clean this place up, man.

This is a key.

See that?

This is how it works.

Any questions?

Man, what the hell you doing
waking me up, man?

Don't you
walk away from me.

I ain't your mama.

Oh, you want to fight.

You want to--

What's wrong?

Tahime, talk to me.

I'm going to kill
my mom's boyfriend.

What?

I'm going
to get a gun

and I'm going
to shoot him.

I don't care
what happens to me.
I don't care.

But he ain't going
to touch nobody no more,

not me, not her,
not nobody.

I swear on God he ain't
going to touch nobody.

What do you think
that's going to prove?

I was locked up
for 17 years...

in prison.

I just got out.

I spent almost
two decades in the joint.

I blamed everything
on everybody else but me.

I was just touching the pieces,

moving them whenever I could

without thought.

That's why none of y'all
can get nothing over on me.

Because I've done
all the dumb stuff that
y'all have done twice.

Some of it three times.

What did you do?

Whatever I wanted to do.

I stole.

I even ran a crew.

And they gave you
17 years for that?

No.

I got my 17 years
for armed robbery.

I robbed a bank.

Cops came
and we all scattered.

And I took the fall.

And then I learned.

What did you learn?

I learned the board.

Your move.

Good.

Checkmate.

Even better.

Thank you.
This chess house,
it's...

it's amazing.

You know, eight years
I've been at Maud Alton
and...

I've just been trying
to make do with what
little money they give us.

We're all doing
the best we can,

most of us
high ups, teachers,
parents, kids.

In all my years I have
seen very few people
make a real difference.

These kids...

they need you.

And your life before...

and who you have
become now...

you inspire me,
Mr. Brown.

You really do.

It's really coming together.

This Tahime Sanders
is a beast.
I talked
to Marco last week.

Really?

He's coming home early.

Wow, that's good news.

Can I drive you
to pick him up?

I don't know.
Oh, no, no.

Trini, you got to--
you got to do this for me.

It would mean a lot to me.

I got to be there for him
when he gets out.

Show him how much I changed.

Please.

Sunday.

That's what I'm talking about.

That's nice.

He in a better place
now, anyways.

You all right?

You know you got a ticket
out of this place, Tahime.

You could be
a special player,
a real pro.

Just need the discipline.

Check this out.

This could be you.

Maurice Ashley did it.
Who's to say
you couldn't be next?

Maurice who?

Maurice Ashley from Harlem

was the first
African-American grandmaster.

So, what?
You're telling me
your brother's a grandmaster?

Who's to say
there could only be one?

Why ain't you one?

If I had
your natural talent,
I would be.

Come on, man.

I ain't about to be
embarrassing myself

in some
white man's
competition.

You going to think that way
your entire life?

Every time you get
an opportunity,

you're going to run away
just because you're scared?

I ain't scared.

T, you have a real talent.

And that'll take you further
than any money, race, class

any day of the week.

You could play
with these kids, man.

And if I can't?

It ain't about whether
you can or you can't,

it's about whether
you will or you won't.

Believe that.

Where the hell you been,
Tahime?

I was out...

with Mr. Brown.

I want you to do
something for me, okay?

I want you to sign
this consent form

so I can play
in a chess tournament.
Chess tournament?

What the hell
you talking about?

I told you, I've been
getting real good at chess.
Give me a damn break, Tahime.

You out there playing
some dumb ass game

while the rest of us
sitting in here
trying to survive.

It ain't a dumb game.

Is it a job?
You getting paid?

Because if you
ain't getting paid,

I don't want to hear
nothing about it.

Silly.

If I'm good--
Boy, you ain't good
at nothing but being
a pain in my ass.

Get-get out my face.
Go on.

Go on.
Get out of my face.

How the hell you think
you can afford to be
in somebody chess contest?

You think they let
fools like you
in for free?

Mr. Brown
said he'd pay.
Oh, hell no, he ain't.

And you ain't going to be
in no chess contest, either.

No chess contest.

Mr. Brown.

Mr. Brown, I presume.
Yes, sir.

Jerry Simpson,
assistant coordinator.

It's a pleasure
to have you here.

It's a pleasure
to be here, sir.

What are...

What are all
the computers for?
That's how
we play chess here.

It's the way of the future.

I trust you've used them?

Yes, sir.

Computers.

All right,
I want you to concentrate
and picture your end game.

What's with the computers?

A modern way
of playing.

Man, that's bull.
I want to play
street style.

You are going to play
on a computer and behave,
you hear me?

Now, listen.
No trash talking,
no cursing.

Just play your game.

No trash talking,
no cursing?

That is my game.

They're ready to start.
You need to register.

Right. Right.

Give me
your consent forms.

Good. Good. Good.

Hello.
I'm Eugene Brown.

Registering my kids.

And the eighth?
Here's the thing--

Actually,
I left it in the car,
my registration.

Is there any possible way
you think I could
have enough time to go--
If you're quick.

Thank you so much.

All right, sir.
You're all set.

Great.

Eugene Brown.

I'm Roy Woodbury,
host a talk program
over at KCAM.

Гўв„ўВЄ KCAM
Right. Yeah.

Yeah, I just wanted
to come by and tell you
I heard about

what you're doing
over there at that house.
It's good stuff.

I got an assistant
who lives over that way.
Oh, yeah?

Is he one
of your students?

Yeah. Yeah.
Tahime Sanders.

Is he any good?

Exceptional.

Well, I just wanted
to wish you good luck.

Oh, hey, sorry,
I'm distracted.

I haven't had jitters
like this in years.

Come on, man,
that's the fun part.

[mouthing]
Relax. Relax.
Think.

Checkmate.

Checkmate.
Yes!
Yes!

All right.

We have a problem.

After reviewing some
of your students' forms,

it's fairly obvious that
one of them was forged.

Now, Linda over at registration
alerted me to the fact that

initially you didn't have
some of these forms signed,

so I took a look at them,
and if you look,

this one clearly
was not signed
by an adult.

Now, you forged
a consent form,

and failed to submit
any of the students'
birth certificates.

Can I talk to you for--
I'm comfortable
talking right here.

Some of these kids
don't have birth certificates.

Everybody's got
a birth certificate.

Not where we come from.

Then it's done.

I'm sorry,
but rules are rules.

Alan wins.

(Student)
No.

Wait.

Eugene, that was
an absolute travesty.

A crime.

Wait.

Well, there's nothing
we can do about it
right now.
That's not necessarily true.

Why don't you and Tahime
come on the air
tomorrow morning?

State your case.

Get the word out
to the community.

For those of you
just tuning in,

we are joined
in studio
by Tahime Sanders

and his coach,
Eugene Brown,

who were robbed
of a chess championship

this past weekend
at a local tournament.

Now, tell us,
Tahime, what happened?

Shed some light
on this most egregious
theft of a championship.

It wasn't theft.

Come again?

It was not theft.

The rules were the rules
and we didn't obey them.

Mr. Brown,
I-I was there.

It is the job of Tahime
and every, every person

playing the game,
black or white,

to beat them
at their own game.

Their own rules.
We didn't do that.

Mr. B, we won.

We can't change
the rules, Tahime.

We have to learn
to win within them.

That's what
this is about.

But isn't
creating a champion

what this is all about?

No, sir.
No, it's not.

It's about learning
how to play the game.

It's about changing minds.

And, in turn,
learning about life.

The championship
isn't the end game.

The championship
is a byproduct.

All right, then.

There you have it.

We'll be back in a minute,
plus weather and traffic.

What the hell
is wrong with you,
brother?

You come down here
just to sell your guy out?

On the air.

I was making a point.

Yeah, well, you did that.

Tahime.

It's Mr. Brown,
Tahime.

What are you knocking for?
Tahime ain't here.

You're who?
Eugene Brown, ma'am.
I'm sorry to bother you.

But your son comes
to my chess house.

Not anymore he don't.

Please, Ms. San--
Listen, you go on
and hustle somebody else's kid.

Selling my baby
all them lies,

he's going to be
a chess champion.

And he going to go
to school for chess.

You stay the hell away,
you hear me?

It ain't like that,
Ms. San--

I said,
stay the hell away.

Ms. Sanders.

Ms. Sanders.

Your son
is the real deal.

You need to come
and see him play.

Hear me?

I wasn't there for my kids
and I regret it every day.

Your son needs you.

He needs you.

Hey, Mr. B.

What you doing up here
at the Taj Mahal?

Y'all seen Tahime?
Yeah, he was with Clifton.

They were around
some other dudes in a car
I've never seen before.

He said he had a job
or something about a...

the rec center.

Rec center, huh?

I think.
All right.

Hey, y'all come by
the chess house tomorrow.

We're having
a mini tournament.

All right, Mr. B.
Right.

Tahime!

Hey, hey, hey,
y'all seen Tahime?

(Man)
No, I ain't seen him.

You sure?

Tahime who?

Sanders.

Come on, Tahime.
Come on, baby.

Come on, young king.

I think Tahime
is in some
real trouble.

It's amazing
because you're so good

at caring about
other people's kids

and completely incapable
of caring about your own.

Marco.

Oh, hey, man.
It's good to have you home.

Marco.

Tahime.

Where you been, man?
Huh?

You in trouble, son?
For what?

Don't "for what" me.
I saw you get arrested
outside the rec center.

Man, I ain't
get arrested.

That was Cliff
and some other guys.

I thought you
was with them.

I was.

I was in the car,
but...

Once I found out
what they was doing,

I just thought
before I moved.

I'm glad you made
the right decision.

I guess.

You know,
everybody else
says you're a phony.

I know you're not.

It's a bit much, son.

Some of these players
are rated 2,400 and up.

But it's in the district
and I want to play.

For me and...

Peanut.

Well, come on
in here and help me
move these boxes.

Yo, it's Clifton.

Clifton.

Surprise!

What's all this?

What?
You forgot
your own birthday?

How'd you know that?

Ms. King and I spent
a couple hours digging
around city hall.

No more
disqualifications.

This time
we're going to beat them
at their own rules.

Come on, T.
Make a wish.

Really?

This place?

Yeah, this place.

All right.

I'm going to go
run some errands.

I'll be back.

Thank you, Katrina.

First off,
don't be mad at Trini.

She wanted no part of this.

I'm sorry I pissed away
the best years of my life.

And they weren't the best years
because I was a young man,

they were the best years
because I hadn't ruined
your trust yet.

Man.

I don't even know you.

I'm-I'm trying
to change that.

I need you, son.

I love you, Marco.

I always will.

No matter what.

[bell rings]
Hi, Ms. Reavis.

Principal King
said I can make
an announcement?

Attention, attention.

I would like to announce
our very own Tahime Sanders

will be participating
in the Eastern Champion...

Open Chess Tournament
this upcoming Sunday.

Everyone is encouraged
to come on down
and watch him kick some...

watch him dominate
the competition.

(Student)
Oh, yeah.
My man.

I got somebody
I want you to meet.

Family.

You good?

I'm good.

You look good.

This the boy
you told me about?

Yes, sir.

This here
is the chess man.

Taught me
everything I know

right here
in these walls.

So, Tahime.

You good, I hear.

Real good.

Unstudied,
undisciplined.

Talking to him?

Big tournament, huh?

You ready?

As I'll ever be.
Son, these cats are quick,
you got to be quicker.

And because
of what you look like,
all eyes will be on you.

So you got to think tough.

Now, this kid...

J. Thomas Gaines...

I wish I had a shot at him.

I got me a list
of his last 300 matches.

Got it sent to me
by a chess magazine,

felt bad that
I was all locked up.

Free subscription for life.

If you face off
with this Gaines,

he's got one particular move

that leaves him vulnerable,
almost without fail.

Amazing how nobody
found it before.

But then again,
nobody's got as much time

on their hands as I do.

So, listen carefully.

You know he will relentlessly
pound you with his queen.

I know.

Know what?

Look, I appreciate
all this.

I really do.
I just...

This is something
I have to by myself.

Respect.

Anything else, then?

You ever getting
out of here?

Only my mind gets out...

every time
I open up that board...

every time I open up a bible.

And it will be out
when you are playing
in that tournament.

Tahime Sanders checking in.

Put him
in this section.

Good luck, son.

You recognize
that face?

J. Thomas Gaines, huh?

The one
and only.

Hey, Tahime.

Concentrate here.

Women weaken legs.

It's chess.

What do I need
my legs for?

Concentrate here.

(Announcer)
Good afternoon, everyone.

And welcome
to the Washington, D.C.
Chess Open.

As is customary,
please shake
your opponent's hand.

Very good.

Now, start your clocks.

Yes.

You know you could've had him
on the tenth move, right?

Relax, chess man.

I'm just
getting warmed up.

This guy
is good.

Can Tahime
beat this guy?

Well, he's been
one of the best players

in the country
since he was 15.

Anybody can be beat.

Even Gaines.

Ladies and gentlemen,
our two undefeated players,

J. Thomas Gaines
and Tahime Sanders.

will engage
in an Armageddon tiebreaker

to determine
our chess open champion.

Gentlemen, good luck.

Check.

That's my baby.

My baby.

Thank you.

You done good.

Mr. Brown? My name
is Danielle Norton
with Urban League.
Yes, ma'am.

This Tahime,
has he made any
college plans yet?

Because I'd like
to help.

I'll be in touch.

Hey, that's the first time
I've been scared all year.

You ain't got to try
and make me feel better.
You know that, right?

Trust me.
I wouldn't do that.

Ever.

Hey, can I grab you
for a quick photo over here?

Mr. Brown.

Ready, guys?

Dad.

Glad you could make it.

Yeah, well, you know.
Thought I'd just
check it out.

I'm happy to see you, son.

Let me show you around.

All right.

Boards.

Next champions.

Back here we have the kitchen.

*

*