Fahim, Sophie Le Callennec, Xavier Parmentier, Barbara Mellor (TRN) King in Hiding

Annotation

LONGLISTED FOR THE WILLIAM HILL SPORTS BOOK OF THE YEAR 2015 Forced to flee his native Bangladesh, eight year-old chess prodigy Fahim arrived in Paris with his father. Refused asylum, as illegal immigrants they spiralled downwards into homelessness and desperation. By a stroke of luck, Fahim was introduced to one of France's top chess coaches, Xavier Parmentier, who tutored him and gave him a sense of purpose, his struggles on the chessboard mirroring both his victories and his crushing defeats in his battle for a normal life. Rising through local and national tournaments to be crowned France's Under-12 Chess Champion in 2012, Fahim became a national sensation. In 2013 he went on to win the World Under-13 Student Championship. Told through the clear eyes of a child, Fahim's tale is not only a moving account of the grim realities that underlie a supposedly caring society, but also a heartwarming testimony to a father's determination, the kindness of strangers, and one small boy's courageous will to succeed.