The Queen’s Gambit, directed by Scott Frank, is a 7-episode limited series released on October 23, 2020, on Netflix. The series is a portrayal of a lady who created her own luck—who was abandoned, left in between, adopted, and called a burden. This lady named Elizabeth Harmon was nine years old when her parents died. She was brought to an orphanage called Methuen Home for Girls. Here, she grew into a beautiful 15-year-old teenager, learning both good and bad.
Elizabeth never really got a chance to learn anything properly, to know what it feels like to be loved. She never had normal parents. And now, the orphanage became her only home. The journey of Elizabeth might surely astound you—and for all the right reasons. The actress who played adult Beth is Anya Taylor-Joy, a British-American actress. She has done a phenomenal job. Her obsession with chess wasn’t just for a while—it reached insane levels.
The one who taught Beth chess was Mr. Shaibel, a janitor who played the game in the basement alone until this nine-year-old girl observed his moves silently without even trying. Things went beyond, and Mr. Shaibel, who was impressed by her skills, started teaching her chess. Later on, she went to big chess tournaments and won them all! The only companions Beth had in the orphanage were Mr. Shaibel and Jolene (Moses Ingram)—who were there throughout her journey to winning.
She was now popular as a “female chess player,” although she was the best amongst all the boys. Along her journey to Russia for the big game, she met Townes (Jacob Fortune-Lloyd), Harry Beltik (Harry Melling), and Benny (Thomas Brodie-Sangster). They weren’t just a few names—they literally helped Beth at every step possible. They taught her chess, stayed with her when her mother died, or whenever she was sad. One of them was always there with her. And the last scene, which might make you cry, was when all of them helped Beth beat Borgov (the Russian player Beth was playing against to win the championship in Russia). That call was so satisfying and showed how Beth lost so many people during her whole life but eventually found some real friends and family she could rely on.
And how can we forget Beth’s mother—Alma Wheatley—the woman who didn’t give birth to her, but gave her something even more powerful: freedom.
Alma was far from perfect—she drank, smoked, and played piano to fill the silence in her life—but she gave Beth her own space. She let her breathe, grow, and be whoever she wanted to be. She became Beth’s manager, her travel partner, and most importantly, her first real supporter. Alma wasn’t the kind of mother who taught lessons with words. She gave Beth the kind of love that didn’t come with expectations. And when Alma died, it wasn’t just the loss of a mother figure—it was the end of comfort, care, and quiet strength. Alma’s presence, even in her absence, shaped Beth forever.
Review of The Queen’s Gambit
Queen’s Gambit is not just a chess movie, and the whole series is not just about a sport; it is about the journey that led Beth to realise the love and warmth in humans again. It made her believe in humanity. She was devastated after what her parents did to her, and after what her adopted father did to her, but when she followed true love through chess, she found a few very important individuals who stayed with her through both rough and smooth times.
The series is simply great—cerebral indeed—as it keeps you engaged the whole time. The way Anya made it look like this was all real, and that Beth really did win the championship after all the hardships and setbacks, was remarkable. There are several instances where anyone could have given up, like when she became addicted to tranquillizers and alcohol. She couldn’t even move on the day of her match with Borgov, but still, she showed up with all the focus and strength she had. The will she had was out of this world. Beth’s life is a walk through fire—parents’ divorce, orphanage, no one to love, chess without a formal instructor, adoption, no love from adoptive parents until later, and chess matches throughout her life with no option but to win. She had a tough life, which was very well portrayed in the series
The cinematography is pleasing. It gives you chills and thrills—the emotions you never thought a series devoted to a board game could deliver. Anya’s acting was superb. The way she carried both sober and drunk Beth is phenomenal. And the fashion should be appreciated first—the designers killed it. As Beth rose in the chess world and earned money, her dresses defined her boldness and intelligence. They grew with her—they were so her!
why is the series entitled The Queen’s Gambit?
It is named after the chess move called the Queen’s Gambit, which begins with 1.d4 d5 2.c4. In this opening, White sacrifices a pawn temporarily to control the center of the board. This move shows early dominance and cleverness.
The series uses this as a metaphor for Beth’s approach to life—bold, risky, and strategic. Just like the gambit, she often took daring paths, calculated her every move, and embraced risk to gain control over her life.
The Queen’s Gambit is not based on a true story or real person, though the character of Beth Harmon is a fictional composite inspired by real chess prodigies like Bobby Fischer, Judit Polgár, and others. These real-life champions influenced the depth and genius written into Beth’s character.
The Queen’s Gambit dives deep into themes like addiction, obsession, loneliness, identity, and power. It shows how Beth’s rise in the chess world is not just about talent, but also about battling personal demons. From substance abuse to emotional isolation, the series highlights the cost of genius. It also explores how a young woman finds her identity and strength in a male-dominated world, using chess as her escape, her power, and her purpose.
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