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Every game of chess has its overt attacks and its stealthy ones, and the chess-based drama "Queen of Katwe" is no different.

Under the guise of a true, inspirational tale of a young chess champion rising from the slums of Kampala, Uganda, this richly layered movie also delivers a strong underlying message about the perils of growing up in poverty in the developing world.

Phiona (played by newcomer Madina Nalwanga) is, when we meet her in 2007, a girl living in a Kampala-area slum of Katwe, selling maize alongside her mother, Harriet (Lupita Nyong'o), and caring for her two younger brothers. One day, she follows her brother Brian (Martin Kamanza) to a missionary-run program where kids learn chess. The instructor, Robert Katende (David Oyelowo), invites her to join them.

Phiona learns the rules quickly, and it's not long before she can beat the best player in the program. Robert, an unemployed engineer whose wife, Sara (Esther Tebandeke), is the family breadwinner, soon sees that Phiona is a chess prodigy. He lobbies the powers that be to let her and her Katwe friends sign up for a school tournament, going up against Kampala's snooty private-school kids. He also has to convince Harriet, who is leery of his promises that chess will lead Phiona to a better life.

Director Mira Nair ("Amelia," "Monsoon Wedding") shows a deep-rooted understanding of this part of the world — both the unrelenting struggle against poverty and the wariness of outsiders offering help. (Nair was born in India and has made many of her movies there; her husband, the Ugandan scholar Mahmoud Mamdani, grew up in Kampala.) She filmed much of the movie in Kampala, and she captures the slums with a grittiness one wouldn't expect in an inspirational sports drama.

The script by William Wheeler (who wrote Nair's political thriller "The Reluctant Fundamentalist"), adapted from Tim Crothers' ESPN article and subsequent book, does hit those inspirational notes as it tracks Phiona's rise from local school meets to international tournaments. But the story also delves into deeper territory, of Phiona's struggle staying connected to her roots and Harriet's fears that her daughter will become lost in her newfound fame.

Nyong'o, in her first starring role since winning the Oscar for "12 Years a Slave," gives a dynamic performance as the long-suffering but resilient single mother. Oyelowo ("Selma") is quietly commanding as the teacher who puts aside his own ambitions for Phiona and the other children.

Young Nalwanga captures Phiona's spirit as if were her own story — which it nearly is, since the actor herself grew up in a poor Kampala neighborhood and was discovered by a local casting director at a dance class. Nalwanga captures Phiona's humility and her competitive ferocity, both factors that place "Queen of Katwe" several moves ahead of most inspirational dramas.

Twitter: @moviecricket —

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'Queen of Katwe'

A poor Ugandan girl discovers a talent for chess in this true-life story that's deeper and richer than most inspirational dramas.

Where • Theaters everywhere.

When • Opens Friday, Sept. 30.

Rating • PG for thematic elements, an accident scene and some suggestive material.

Running time • 124 minutes.