Copying one winning chess game, capturing first time (9)
I believe the answer is:
imitating
'copying' is the definition.
('imitate' can be a synonym of 'copy')
'one winning chess game capturing first time' is the wordplay.
'one' becomes 'i' (Roman numeral).
'winning chess game' becomes 'mating' (checkmating).
'capturing' indicates putting letters inside.
'first' becomes 'i' (I in Roman numerals eg Elizabeth I**).
'time' becomes 't'.
'i'+'t'='it'
'mating' placed around 'it' is 'mitating'.
'i'+'mitating'='IMITATING'
(Other definitions for imitating that I've seen before include "miming" , "Copying" .)