I Was Dropped into the British Empire with a Chessboard

To achieve a norm, I went to a chess club in Belfast. An old man handed me a luxury chess set and a business card, and said: “Here, this is his card. Make sure he never gets to brag about chess again.” There was still time before the tournament, and I didn’t mind chatting with locals, so I agreed. But when I left the chess club… I found myself in the middle of 19th-century London. All I had was a high-end chess set and a travel backpack.