A ten-year-old boy is beginning to form the memories that will one day answer the question: what is your relationship with chess? He’s a child with curious eyes, a lively gaze, and a desire to learn everything – a curiosity fostered by his mother, Barbara, and his grandparents.
The story shifts to Spain’s Golden Age with Pedro Vicente, an era where chess frequently appears as a metaphor for culture. It’s within this context that Ruy López lives, the first unofficial world champion and the most important figure in chess for centuries. Ruy López was a priest, a humanist, and the first great theorist of modern chess.
The magical realm moves to the Teatro de la AbadÃa for a conversation with its director, Juan Mayorga: playwright, a leading figure in Spanish culture, and a keen chess enthusiast. Chess also features in his artistic creations; in 2016, he directed Reijkiavik, a play based on the chess match between Fischer and Spaski. And in El JardÃn Quemado (The Burnt Garden), one of his most beloved dramatic works, set to premiere in May 2026 at La AbadÃa, chess not only appears but plays a significant role. This upcoming production adds to a vibrant season of theatrical premieres in Madrid.
