The Queen's Gambit (2020)

An American miniseries, The Queen’s Gambit (2020), is a coming-of-age drama based on Walter Tevis’ novel of the same name. The show centers around chess prodigy Beth Harmon as she navigates her way to the top of the chess world while battling addiction. Created by Scott Frank and Allan Scott, who owns rights to the book, the story is set in the 1950s and 1960s. It premiered on Netflix on October 23rd and quickly became the most-watched scripted miniseries for four weeks in a row, making it Netflix’s number one program in 63 countries. The series has garnered critical acclaim for its cinematography, production values and particularly Anya Taylor-Joy’s performance. Along with positive feedback from the chess community for its accurate depictions of high-level chess, data also shows an increase in public interest in the game following its release.

The Queen’s Gambit follows the life of Elizabeth Harmon, an orphan chess prodigy on a journey to becoming an elite player while battling emotional struggles and substance abuse. The series is named after a popular chess opening. It is set in the mid-1950s and 1960s, specifically in Lexington, Kentucky. At the age of eight, Beth loses her mother in a car accident and is placed in an orphanage where she learns chess from Mr. Shaibel, the custodian. The orphanage routinely administers tranquilizer pills to the girls, including Beth, leading to her developing an addiction. Despite this challenge, Beth excels at chess due to her strong visualization skills. Eventually, she is adopted by a childless couple named Alma and Allston Wheatley. While adjusting to her new home, Beth competes in a chess tournament and emerges as the winner, despite having no prior experience in competitive chess.