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May the Best Player Win

Author Kyla Zhao On Tour
Paperback
$11.00 US
5.5"W x 8.22"H x 0.63"D   (14.0 x 20.9 x 1.6 cm) | 9 oz (255 g) | 24 per carton
On sale Sep 17, 2024 | 240 Pages | 9780593859605
Age 8-12 years | Grades 3-7
Sales rights: US, Canada, Open Mkt
Export Edition
The game is on in this fun-filled middle grade debut about chess, girl power, and performance anxiety in sports, perfect for fans of Kelly Yang and Celia C. Pérez!

The clock is ticking for May Li, whose middle-school chess team just earned a victory at the state championship—and with it, a ticket to nationals. What’s even more exciting is that May got an award for being the top female player and a splashy feature in the biggest chess magazine in the country.

May should be thrilled. But some of her teammates, including her supposed-to-be-friend Ralph, aren’t too pleased with the attention she’s getting—and they’re even questioning her skills. Backed into a corner, but not one to back down, May makes a move as bold as any of her chess tactics: She bets Ralph she can win the school’s internal tournament and be chosen as team captain for nationals.

The crown is May’s for the taking . . . except she’s starting to crumble under the weight of everyone’s expectations. Anxious feelings begin to affect her performance and, what’s worse, eat away at her love for the game. Now May is left to wonder: Can you still play for fun when you’re playing to win?
OPENING

The start of a chess game, with White making the first move

The queen charges forward. The king cowers.

But in a flash, the knight jumps onto the scene to His Majesty’s defense.

I let out a big breath once I’ve played my move. Frowning, my opponent, Eric Malik, leans his head over the chessboard.

My mom once let me use her stethoscope, and her heartbeat sounded like the stampede from The Lion King, but I think my heart’s beating even faster now.

This is the final round at the California Middle School State Chess Championship, and Eric is my toughest opponent by far. He was a medalist last year, and this is the first time I’ve ever qualified for State. Right now, it’s hard to tell who has the upper hand in our game. But one wrong move and my position could collapse like a Jenga tower.

A familiar voice from two tables down makes me look up. “I resign,” Ralph Morris sighs, knocking his king over. The slump of his shoulders makes my chest tighten. Ralph is my chess teammate at Lingard Middle School. Like my opponent, Eric, he’s also playing at State for the second time. I know he’s hoping to improve on his fifth place finish last year and win Lingard’s first-ever medal at the tournament.

When he catches me looking, Ralph gives a small shake of his head, misery all over his face. With this loss, he’s ending the tournament with six points out of a maximum of eight, so the best place he can hope for now is fourth. That’s got to hurt. I offer him a sympathetic smile before he trudges off into the crowd.

My eyes open wide. There’s a crowd? At least twenty people are clustered around my table, staring straight at my chessboard. It’s a mix of my fellow competitors— mostly boys who have already finished their games— their parents and coaches, and a couple of competition officials.
I recognize almost all of them because the competitive chess community in Northern California is pretty small. But there’s a man at the front I don’t think I’ve seen before. He’s wearing a serious-looking lanyard around his neck and scribbling away in a notebook. I squint to make out the two words on his badge:

ChessChamps

Media

ChessChamps is the biggest chess magazine in the country. Last month, they did an exclusive interview with Ding Liren, the world chess champion. A middle school chess competition is nothing compared to the world championship, so what’s a reporter from ChessChamps doing here? And why is he, and everyone else, looking at my game?

“Draw?”

My eyes snap to Eric’s face at the sound of his voice. If I accept his draw offer, the game ends now with a half point for each of us. So we would both finish the tournament with six and a half points. But because Eric has a slightly better tiebreaker score, he’d clinch at least third place. Meanwhile, a draw would put me anywhere between third and fifth depending on how the other players’ final games go.

Without hesitation, I shake my head. No way I’m accepting his draw offer, not when I’m so close to a medal I can basically feel its weight around my neck. I can already imagine the proud smiles on my parents’ faces when they see me up on stage accepting my medal from the president of the California Schools Chess Association. I’ll be the first State medalist my school has ever had—and on my debut at State too!

Eric shrugs and moves his queen to the left side of the board. She’s now pointed right at my knight.

The gears in my head whir into action. My knight is currently protected by a pawn, but what if . . . I move that pawn away? Eric will think the knight is defense[1]less and capture it with his queen, not realizing it’s a poisoned bait. Once his queen is deep in my territory, I can trap her with my rook and two bishops.

The moment I move my pawn, the crowd bursts into whispers. Someone even gasps. I squash down the urge to giggle. It’s just a chess move, but they make it seem really dramatic, like they’re watching a bullfight. How will they react once I play my surprise winning move? I sit up straighter and flex my fingers. The moment Eric captures my knight, I’m ready to swing my lightsquared bishop out and set the queen trap.

But Eric’s hand drifts past his queen and reaches for his rook instead. Grasping the rook firmly between his fingers, he moves it two squares to the right and attacks my king.

My eyes widen as the crowd falls silent. This isn’t how it’s supposed to go. What’s Eric trying to—
Oh. My blood runs cold as Eric’s plan hits me. He’s played a zwischenzug, a word I’ve always struggled to pronounce that basically means delaying his most obvious move (capture my knight) to first deliver a threat. His attack on my king can easily be blocked by my rook. But with my rook occupied, I won’t have all the pieces I need to set up the trap. He’ll be able to capture my knight on his next turn without losing anything.

My stomach sinks all the way to my Converse, and there’s a loud pounding in my head. This can’t be happening. There must still be a way around this.

Biting my lip, I lean forward and cup my hands around my eyes as though narrowing my field of vision will allow me to catch something I’ve missed, something that might help me rescue the game. Beads of sweat roll down my temples despite the air-conditioning being on full blast, making my bangs stick to my forehead even as goose bumps sprout all over my skin. Why did I play that knight sacrifice? If I had gone with a safer move, I wouldn’t be stuck in the position I am now—about to lose.

After what feels like an eternity, I finally force myself to accept the truth: I’m so screwed. I have no choice but to defend my king with my rook.

Sure enough, Eric’s queen immediately swoops down on my knight. One whole piece down, I play on for a few more moves and try to set another trap for Eric, but he’s too good to fall for my desperate tricks.

Finally, on move forty-seven, I knock my king over. I swallow hard and say over the lump in my throat, “I resign.”
Praise for May the Best Player Win

"A middle grade Queen’s Gambit, May The Best Player Win is a realistic story of one girl's love of chess and her journey to rediscovering the love of the game...Utterly believable and inspirational, May's story will have you on the edge of your seat and you itching to play a game of chess!" —Graci Kim, New York Times bestselling author of the Gifted Clans trilogy

"Girls deserve to just have fun! Full of puns and emotions that had me on the edge of my seat, May the Best Player Win is an all-too relatable tale about how girls have to prove themselves over and over in boy-dominated hobbies." —Xiran Jay Zhao, New York Times-bestselling author of Zachary Ying and the Dragon Emperor

"This book is a game-changer for readers of all ages, regardless of whether you play chess! May the Best Player Win captures the thrill of competition, the weight of expectations, and the sting of naysayers." —Carissa Yip, 2x US Women's Chess Champion & Women's Grandmaster

"A fierce yet tender narrative [that is] rich in emotions and facts. It will enlighten the young audiences’ minds with the usage of a smart and educative language, sharp puns, easy-to-understand chess terminology and history. A top recommendation for young readers." Tatiana Flores, Women's World Chess Champion for People with Disabilities

"Compassionate, empowering, and full of heart, May the Best Player Win reminds young readers that sometimes, the only limits on our potential are the ones we place on ourselves." —Rebecca Mix, New York Times bestselling author of The Mossheart's Promise

"May Li is the type of fierce, loveable, larger-than-life heroine who stays with you long after the story ends. Readers will root for May and her friends from start to finish in their epic journey to nationals!" —Katie Zhao, author of Last Gamer Standing and the Winnie Zeng series

"The chess games are thrilling...and the book’s valuable life lessons will speak to anyone who’s lost their love for a pursuit. An emotionally intelligent work that explores socially relevant themes." —Kirkus Reviews

"Digestible chess strategy breakdowns and terminology scattered throughout serve as an approachable introduction to the sport." —Publishers Weekly
© Kyla Zhao
Kyla Zhao had her first women’s magazine byline at the age of sixteen, writing about weddings for Harper’s Bazaar Singapore before she even had her first kiss. Since then, she has also written for the Singapore editions of Vogue and Tatler. A native Singaporean, Kyla now works in Silicon Valley after graduating from Stanford University in 2021. She’s still trying to understand why Californians adore hiking and Patagonia fleeces so much. View titles by Kyla Zhao
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About

The game is on in this fun-filled middle grade debut about chess, girl power, and performance anxiety in sports, perfect for fans of Kelly Yang and Celia C. Pérez!

The clock is ticking for May Li, whose middle-school chess team just earned a victory at the state championship—and with it, a ticket to nationals. What’s even more exciting is that May got an award for being the top female player and a splashy feature in the biggest chess magazine in the country.

May should be thrilled. But some of her teammates, including her supposed-to-be-friend Ralph, aren’t too pleased with the attention she’s getting—and they’re even questioning her skills. Backed into a corner, but not one to back down, May makes a move as bold as any of her chess tactics: She bets Ralph she can win the school’s internal tournament and be chosen as team captain for nationals.

The crown is May’s for the taking . . . except she’s starting to crumble under the weight of everyone’s expectations. Anxious feelings begin to affect her performance and, what’s worse, eat away at her love for the game. Now May is left to wonder: Can you still play for fun when you’re playing to win?

Excerpt

OPENING

The start of a chess game, with White making the first move

The queen charges forward. The king cowers.

But in a flash, the knight jumps onto the scene to His Majesty’s defense.

I let out a big breath once I’ve played my move. Frowning, my opponent, Eric Malik, leans his head over the chessboard.

My mom once let me use her stethoscope, and her heartbeat sounded like the stampede from The Lion King, but I think my heart’s beating even faster now.

This is the final round at the California Middle School State Chess Championship, and Eric is my toughest opponent by far. He was a medalist last year, and this is the first time I’ve ever qualified for State. Right now, it’s hard to tell who has the upper hand in our game. But one wrong move and my position could collapse like a Jenga tower.

A familiar voice from two tables down makes me look up. “I resign,” Ralph Morris sighs, knocking his king over. The slump of his shoulders makes my chest tighten. Ralph is my chess teammate at Lingard Middle School. Like my opponent, Eric, he’s also playing at State for the second time. I know he’s hoping to improve on his fifth place finish last year and win Lingard’s first-ever medal at the tournament.

When he catches me looking, Ralph gives a small shake of his head, misery all over his face. With this loss, he’s ending the tournament with six points out of a maximum of eight, so the best place he can hope for now is fourth. That’s got to hurt. I offer him a sympathetic smile before he trudges off into the crowd.

My eyes open wide. There’s a crowd? At least twenty people are clustered around my table, staring straight at my chessboard. It’s a mix of my fellow competitors— mostly boys who have already finished their games— their parents and coaches, and a couple of competition officials.
I recognize almost all of them because the competitive chess community in Northern California is pretty small. But there’s a man at the front I don’t think I’ve seen before. He’s wearing a serious-looking lanyard around his neck and scribbling away in a notebook. I squint to make out the two words on his badge:

ChessChamps

Media

ChessChamps is the biggest chess magazine in the country. Last month, they did an exclusive interview with Ding Liren, the world chess champion. A middle school chess competition is nothing compared to the world championship, so what’s a reporter from ChessChamps doing here? And why is he, and everyone else, looking at my game?

“Draw?”

My eyes snap to Eric’s face at the sound of his voice. If I accept his draw offer, the game ends now with a half point for each of us. So we would both finish the tournament with six and a half points. But because Eric has a slightly better tiebreaker score, he’d clinch at least third place. Meanwhile, a draw would put me anywhere between third and fifth depending on how the other players’ final games go.

Without hesitation, I shake my head. No way I’m accepting his draw offer, not when I’m so close to a medal I can basically feel its weight around my neck. I can already imagine the proud smiles on my parents’ faces when they see me up on stage accepting my medal from the president of the California Schools Chess Association. I’ll be the first State medalist my school has ever had—and on my debut at State too!

Eric shrugs and moves his queen to the left side of the board. She’s now pointed right at my knight.

The gears in my head whir into action. My knight is currently protected by a pawn, but what if . . . I move that pawn away? Eric will think the knight is defense[1]less and capture it with his queen, not realizing it’s a poisoned bait. Once his queen is deep in my territory, I can trap her with my rook and two bishops.

The moment I move my pawn, the crowd bursts into whispers. Someone even gasps. I squash down the urge to giggle. It’s just a chess move, but they make it seem really dramatic, like they’re watching a bullfight. How will they react once I play my surprise winning move? I sit up straighter and flex my fingers. The moment Eric captures my knight, I’m ready to swing my lightsquared bishop out and set the queen trap.

But Eric’s hand drifts past his queen and reaches for his rook instead. Grasping the rook firmly between his fingers, he moves it two squares to the right and attacks my king.

My eyes widen as the crowd falls silent. This isn’t how it’s supposed to go. What’s Eric trying to—
Oh. My blood runs cold as Eric’s plan hits me. He’s played a zwischenzug, a word I’ve always struggled to pronounce that basically means delaying his most obvious move (capture my knight) to first deliver a threat. His attack on my king can easily be blocked by my rook. But with my rook occupied, I won’t have all the pieces I need to set up the trap. He’ll be able to capture my knight on his next turn without losing anything.

My stomach sinks all the way to my Converse, and there’s a loud pounding in my head. This can’t be happening. There must still be a way around this.

Biting my lip, I lean forward and cup my hands around my eyes as though narrowing my field of vision will allow me to catch something I’ve missed, something that might help me rescue the game. Beads of sweat roll down my temples despite the air-conditioning being on full blast, making my bangs stick to my forehead even as goose bumps sprout all over my skin. Why did I play that knight sacrifice? If I had gone with a safer move, I wouldn’t be stuck in the position I am now—about to lose.

After what feels like an eternity, I finally force myself to accept the truth: I’m so screwed. I have no choice but to defend my king with my rook.

Sure enough, Eric’s queen immediately swoops down on my knight. One whole piece down, I play on for a few more moves and try to set another trap for Eric, but he’s too good to fall for my desperate tricks.

Finally, on move forty-seven, I knock my king over. I swallow hard and say over the lump in my throat, “I resign.”

Praise

Praise for May the Best Player Win

"A middle grade Queen’s Gambit, May The Best Player Win is a realistic story of one girl's love of chess and her journey to rediscovering the love of the game...Utterly believable and inspirational, May's story will have you on the edge of your seat and you itching to play a game of chess!" —Graci Kim, New York Times bestselling author of the Gifted Clans trilogy

"Girls deserve to just have fun! Full of puns and emotions that had me on the edge of my seat, May the Best Player Win is an all-too relatable tale about how girls have to prove themselves over and over in boy-dominated hobbies." —Xiran Jay Zhao, New York Times-bestselling author of Zachary Ying and the Dragon Emperor

"This book is a game-changer for readers of all ages, regardless of whether you play chess! May the Best Player Win captures the thrill of competition, the weight of expectations, and the sting of naysayers." —Carissa Yip, 2x US Women's Chess Champion & Women's Grandmaster

"A fierce yet tender narrative [that is] rich in emotions and facts. It will enlighten the young audiences’ minds with the usage of a smart and educative language, sharp puns, easy-to-understand chess terminology and history. A top recommendation for young readers." Tatiana Flores, Women's World Chess Champion for People with Disabilities

"Compassionate, empowering, and full of heart, May the Best Player Win reminds young readers that sometimes, the only limits on our potential are the ones we place on ourselves." —Rebecca Mix, New York Times bestselling author of The Mossheart's Promise

"May Li is the type of fierce, loveable, larger-than-life heroine who stays with you long after the story ends. Readers will root for May and her friends from start to finish in their epic journey to nationals!" —Katie Zhao, author of Last Gamer Standing and the Winnie Zeng series

"The chess games are thrilling...and the book’s valuable life lessons will speak to anyone who’s lost their love for a pursuit. An emotionally intelligent work that explores socially relevant themes." —Kirkus Reviews

"Digestible chess strategy breakdowns and terminology scattered throughout serve as an approachable introduction to the sport." —Publishers Weekly

Author

© Kyla Zhao
Kyla Zhao had her first women’s magazine byline at the age of sixteen, writing about weddings for Harper’s Bazaar Singapore before she even had her first kiss. Since then, she has also written for the Singapore editions of Vogue and Tatler. A native Singaporean, Kyla now works in Silicon Valley after graduating from Stanford University in 2021. She’s still trying to understand why Californians adore hiking and Patagonia fleeces so much. View titles by Kyla Zhao

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•     US Virgin Is.

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•     Austria
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•     Tadschikistan
•     Taiwan
•     Thailand
•     Timor-Leste
•     Togo
•     Tokelau Islands
•     Tunisia
•     Turkey
•     Turkmenistan
•     Ukraine
•     Unit.Arab Emir.
•     Uruguay
•     Uzbekistan
•     Vatican City
•     Venezuela
•     Vietnam
•     Wallis,Futuna
•     West Saharan

Not available for sale:
•     Anguilla
•     Antigua/Barbuda
•     Australia
•     Bahamas
•     Bangladesh
•     Barbados
•     Belize
•     Bermuda
•     Bhutan
•     Botswana
•     Brit.Ind.Oc.Ter
•     Brit.Virgin Is.
•     Brunei
•     Cameroon
•     Canada
•     Cayman Islands
•     Christmas Islnd
•     Cocos Islands
•     Cyprus
•     Dominica
•     Falkland Islnds
•     Fiji
•     Gambia
•     Ghana
•     Gibraltar
•     Grenada
•     Guernsey
•     Guyana
•     India
•     Iraq
•     Ireland
•     Isle of Man
•     Jamaica
•     Jersey
•     Jordan
•     Kenya
•     Kiribati
•     Kuwait
•     Lesotho
•     Malawi
•     Malaysia
•     Maldives
•     Malta
•     Mauritius
•     Montserrat
•     Mozambique
•     Myanmar
•     Namibia
•     Nauru
•     Nepal
•     New Zealand
•     Nigeria
•     Pakistan
•     PapuaNewGuinea
•     Pitcairn Islnds
•     S. Sandwich Ins
•     Seychelles
•     Sierra Leone
•     Solomon Islands
•     Somalia
•     South Africa
•     Sri Lanka
•     St. Helena
•     St. Lucia
•     St. Vincent
•     St.Chr.,Nevis
•     Sudan
•     Swaziland
•     Tanzania
•     Tonga
•     Trinidad,Tobago
•     Turks&Caicos Is
•     Tuvalu
•     USA
•     Uganda
•     United Kingdom
•     Vanuatu
•     Western Samoa
•     Yemen
•     Zambia
•     Zimbabwe