AllMovie

At first glance, Mighty Pawns might not be the best title choice for a "self-start" drama, but in context, it is most appropriate. Terence Knox stars as white inner-city teacher Steve Grenowski an inner-city teacher, assigned to a classroom full of problem students. By appealing to his students' gambling instincts, Gernowski turns the kids onto chess. Soon the teacher's chess team, headed by Frank (Alfonso Ribero), has won the county's junior championship. A shot at a national title is compromised when one of Frank's less trustworthy pals lures him away to a few local "money matches". Paul Winfield and Rosalind Cash costar in this fact-based drama, first telecast February 14, 1987 on the PBS series Wonderworks.