Dark Squares: A cult leader, a child prodigy and the chess revolution

'A powerful memoir'
Garry Kasparov


'Heart-breaking, hilarious, ultimately transcendent'
Jeannette Wall


'Compelling and unique'
Ben Mezrich


'I haven't been this inspired by an underdog story in a long time'
Bobby Hall (aka Logic)


Danny Rensch was born into the isolated world of a cult. As a child, he was separated from his mother, never sent to formal school and forced to live with the cult leader. But amid the psychological manipulation and physical abuse, Danny discovered he was also a chess prodigy.

An absolute underdog, this villiage kid became one of the highest-ranking underage players in the country. Eventually, however, the neglect at home caught up with Danny when a major injury left him bed bound for months. His burgeoning career as one of the game's most exciting talents was over. Once more at the mercy of the cult, the future looked bleak. Then, Danny discovered Chess.com and everything changed.

Now, Danny is an International Chess Master and the face of one of the largest online gaming platforms in the world. Both Chess.com and Danny have played a crucial role in bringing this ancient game into the modern world. That's until, in 2023, Danny is called upon to adjudicate the most explosive cheating scandal in chess history, and both he and the game he loves are threatened all over again.