There is tension resulting from how seriously the seven-year-old main character takes chess.
At one point he's not doing well in school and his father gets into a heated spat with the teacher.
At another point the mother and dad have an argument and the mom threatens to take the son away.
The chess teacher is strict. After the boy insists on getting a certificate from the teacher, he matter-of-factly pulls dozens of meaningless printed copies of papers (which he claimed early were very special) from a briefcase, until the mom throws him (the teacher) out of the house.
Another point the chess teacher knocks pieces off a chess board (we see this again in a flashback), the make a loud clattering sound.
When the kid throws a chess tournament game in seven moves, this father verbally berates him in the rain for a bit. Eventually, the kid asks why the father's standing at a distance from him, and the father folds and hugs the son in forgiveness.