The Move of the White Queen

A sports story about mentorship and character: how a coach and a student learn responsibility, discipline, and fair competition. A book about the price of victory, overcoming challenges, and growing up in sports.


A novel inspired by the victory of the... Soviet skier Lyubov Kozyreva at the 1956 Olympic Games, which was intended by the author to serve as the basis for a musical comedy. The idea did not materialize, but the story received a film adaptation, highly praised by both domestic and foreign audiences around the world.


When coach Stepan Chudinov, disillusioned with his student, leaves the profession and heads to Zimogorsk, fate – or someone else? – brings him together with young skier Natasha Skuratova, who has also lost faith in herself. Both are firmly decided to cut ties with sports… But is that possible when the entire city is literally obsessed with skiing?