The Big Picture

• The Queen's Gambit starred Anya Taylor-Joy on Netflix, but the series was based on the 1983 novel of the same name by Walter Trevis.
• Beth Harmon's journey mirrors Bobby Fischer's; both characters overcome personal struggles to become chess legends.
• The series highlights the importance of mentorship in chess and offers a realistic portrayal of strategic gameplay.

The Queen’s Gambit wasn’t only one of the most acclaimed Netflix miniseries of all time. The gripping story of troubled chess prodigy Beth Harmon (Anya Taylor-Joy) reignited a worldwide interest in chess. The sale of chess sets increased by over 85% in the month after the show's release, and chess books sold at over six times the normal rate. The show’s critical acclaim also earned it 11 Primetime Emmy Awards, including Outstanding Limited or Anthology Series. Based on the award-winning 1983 novel of the same name by Walter Trevis, the meticulous reimagining of chess competition and strategy from creator Scott Frank was praised by chess experts as accurate to actual gameplay. While the Beth Harmon character herself is fictionalized, many of the show’s narrative beats were inspired by real-life events.

‘The Queen’s Gambit’ Was Inspired by Bobby Fischer

Harmon’s rise to prominence is loosely inspired by the life of American Chess Grandmaster Bobby Fischer. Fischer proved his aptitude for the game in his teenage years, becoming the youngest U.S. Chess Champion in history at age 14. Rising through the ranks with the only perfect score in American history, Fischer became the World Chess Champion in 1972. Like Harmon, Fischer was tormented by personal hardships. Harmon deals with debilitating addiction issues throughout The Queen’s Gambit, and Fischer suffered from intense paranoia and schizophrenia. Both struggled to connect with their adolescent peers and instead found mentors among older players as they perfected their craft. Fischer grew even more secluded later in his life, making inflammatory extremist statements and renouncing his U.S. citizenship.

Fischer’s climactic face-off against reigning USSR Grandmaster Boris Spassky during the height of the Cold War is similar to Harmon’s match against the Russian Vasily Borgav (Marcin Dorociński) in the series finale “End Game.” Fischer and Spassky had been rivals for years, playing five prior games in which Spassky won three times and two matches resulted in draws. Spassky remains the world’s oldest living chess champion. The events were depicted in Edward Zwick's 2015 biographical film Pawn Sacrifice, which starred Tobey Maguire as Fischer and Liev Schreiber as Spassky. The film depicts the intense World Championship, including Spassky's surprise resignation and standing ovation during the sixth game in what is considered the greatest match ever played. While Beth is not portrayed as being as combative as the real Fischer was, both chess players become prominent fixations of the American media as a result of their perceived role in helping the United States win the Cold War against the Soviet Union in the 1960s.

‘The Queen’s Gambit’ Shows a Feminist Perspective on Chess

The Queen’s Gambit is distinguishable for its feminist perspective, as sexism remains rampant within the sport. The U.S. Women’s Chess Championship was only granted the same financial benefits as the Men’s Competition in 2019, and only 14% of US Chess Federation members are female (a record high percentage). Chess prodigy and world champion Susan Bolgar praised The Queen’s Gambit for its depiction of “chess as something emotional and exciting,” but described Harmon’s experiences with discrimination on the show as “mild.” Polgar, who competed in the ‘70s and ‘80s, is the only player to win all six prestigious crowns but experienced physical and emotional harassment throughout her career. She called Borgav's gracious acceptance of defeat following the final match unrealistic.

However, the record-breaking viewership of The Queen’s Gambit has initiated a greater enthusiasm for chess among younger female players. While Frank confirmed that the show would not return for a second season or sequel film, a musical adaptation is in early development. It’s understandable why The Queen’s Gambit launched a greater interest in chess. The series shows the importance of having a great mentor. Beth learns how to play from the janitor Mr. Shaibel (Bill Camp), who shows his dedication to the game by quietly playing alone. The scenes between Shaibel and a nine-year-old Beth (Isla Johnston) are the most heartwarming moments in the show’s emotional first episode.

‘The Queen’s Gambit’ Is a Realistic Portrayal of Chess Strategy

Although the game is prominently featured in such classic franchise films as X-Men and Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, the strategy of chess is treated with diligence by The Queen's Gambit. A highlight of some of the show's greatest episodes is the visualization of Beth's game-play strategy. Frank shows her interior thoughts, exploring how she makes critical strategic decisions by weighing the potential moves that her opponents could make. The game remains one that is difficult to depict on screen due to the innumerable outcomes that can emerge from only a few moves, but The Queen's Gambit is able to show how Beth contemplates the most potentially successful strategy. In addition to giving a glimpse into her worldview, Beth's hyper-fixation on potential moves helps to explain why she has become so isolated socially.

While the series has been praised and earned many accolades, The Queen's Gambit was originally intended to be a feature film. Heath Ledger planned to direct an adaptation of the novel, as his experiences filming music videos had opened him up to the possibility of stepping behind the camera. The role of Beth was reportedly offered to Elliot Page. Although Ledger's penchant for giving emotionally authentic performances suggests he would have taken the same sensitive approach to filmmaking, his tragic death in 2008 prevented the cinematic adaptation from moving forward. Frank, who received acclaim for his work helming the western drama series Godless, decided to pick up work where Ledger left off and extended the narrative into a seven-part series.

The Queen's Gambit is streaming on Netflix in the U.S.

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