Benny Watts is an arrogant, popular, and very intelligent chess prodigy and a part of the main cast in the Netflix series, The Queen's Gambit.Initially Beth Harmon's most prominent rival, he then becomes her mentor, close friend and love interest.. The Queen’s Gambit is an American TV miniseries based on the 1983 novel of the … [43] Carina Chocano of The New York Times Magazine also believes that the show again and again foils the audience's expectations: the janitor doesn't molest her, her adoptive father leaves her alone, and her adoptive mother Alma doesn't hold her back, a departure Chocano attributes to the "fantasy"-like quality of The Queen's Gambit. Unfortunately for those hoping to fall down a Wikipedia research hole about the real-life Beth Harmon, her story is completely fictional. Chess is not usually what comes to mind when people think of sport. Marcus Loges as Luchenko, a veteran former world chess champion and Beth's penultimate opponent in Moscow. lack of draws and, in the interests of suspense, having Beth meet all her strongest opponents in the final round). ", "Carlos Rafael Rivera Scoring Netflix's 'The Queen's Gambit, "Carlos Rafael Rivera Talks about How the Music, Chess Makes 'The Queen's Gambit, "Why The Queen's Gambit Is the No. In real life, a woman has never won the chess World … ", "What Are the Green Pills Beth Takes In 'The Queen's Gambit'? [30][28][47][48], The series received praise from the chess community for its portrayal of the game and players. She also begins dressing more stylishly as her winnings increase. But each of those wins, even the final one against Russian powerhouse Vasily Borgov, pales in comparison to the catharsis that came with her defeat of a man known simply as Luchenko. A few years later, Beth is adopted by Alma Wheatley and her husband from Lexington. The mini-series follows Beth Harmon, a chess star in the 1960s, as she traverses the road to fame. In regards to the aspects of the series, she also stated "You have to be psychologically and physically strong, and have a drive for excellence. [36], In a column where she argues "So many lives would be different if we'd had The Queen's Gambit 50 years ago," culture critic Mary McNamara said, "I loved The Queen's Gambit so much, I watched the final episode three times. [25][26] On November 23, 2020, Netflix announced that that the series had been watched by 62 million households since its release,[27] becoming "Netflix's biggest scripted limited series to date. [10], The series was released on October 23, 2020, with seven episodes instead of the original six-episode order. The book was adapted for the 2020 Netflix miniseries of the same name. In an Author’s Note, Tevis cited three chess grandmasters as inspiration for the protagonist. Official Site: Netflix. ... from a chat and it is much more beautiful than the never ending discussion about the "best" "strongest" or whatsoever chess player of all times. Beth dancing to a degenerate piece of music that was a hit when I was pubescent, with trophies from all the chess tournaments she had won. The Queen's Gambit ; First edition, featuring cover art by Will Barnett. [24], On October 28, 2020, the series became the most watched series of the day on Netflix. Anya portrays Beth Harmon, a standout chess player who finds herself struggling with a drug addiction after being fed tranquilizers as a child orphan. In the Netflix series “The Queen’s Gambit,” the character Benny Watts walks up to Beth Harmon, the show’s heroine, at the start of the 1967 United States Chess Championship. The novel's epigraph is "The Long-Legged Fly" by W. B. Yeats. It has also received a positive response from the chess community and is claimed to have increased public interest in the game. Australian Grandmaster Ian Rogers shares his perspective. >since this is a chess site rather than a porn site. The actors used real chess players for inspiration. Elizabeth Harmon is a work of fiction though the careers of a number of legendary chess players inspired author Walter Tevis. The Queen's Gambit follows the life of an orphan chess prodigy, Beth Harmon, during her quest to become the world's greatest chess player while struggling with emotional problems and drug and alcohol dependency. In real life, the world chess champion since 2013 is Norvegian Magnus Carlsen, nicknamed Mozart of chess because of his early and natural talent. A bildungsroman, or coming-of-age story, it covers themes of adoption, feminism, chess, drug addiction and alcoholism. Harold C. Schonberg, writing in the New York Times Book Review, confirmed that Tevis "reveals a great deal about the world of American Chess, with a final glance at how the Russians operate, and it is an exceptionally accurate picture that he draws." Production designer Uli Hanisch developed the series' sets to evoke the aesthetic of the 1950s and 1960s. Beth Harmon, heroine of Netflix’s miniseries The Queen’s Gambit, has joined Magnus Carlsen and easy access to internet games as a trigger for the unlikely chess boom of 2020. It is a book I reread every few years—for the pure pleasure and skill of it. He was however a good club level player which is why the book has such strong chess knowledge. "[53] Reigning chess world champion Magnus Carlsen gave it 5 out of 6 stars. COURTESY OF NETFLIX It is also highly praised for the technical accuracy of its depictions of chess: New Yorker's reviewer was especially enthused with the novelist's recreation of the obsessive world of chess, noting that Tevis "does succeed in conveying the cerebral suspense with which would-be World Champions live." In the final episode Beth plays against her arch nemesis, the Soviet chess player Borgov. Pandolfini, a US chess master, consulted on the chess positions prior to the book's publication, and was the one who suggested the book's final title "The Queen's Gambit", after the chess opening called "Queen's Gambit". Thanks to this Netflix mini-series, many people who didn't know the difference between a rook and a knight have discovered an interest in chess. "[61] Sales of chess sets for US Goliath Games are up several hundred to over a thousand percent due to the series. Beth Harmon and Bobby Fischer . [54], Several female chess players, including Houska, British Ladies Chess Champion Sarah Longson, International Master Dorsa Derakhshani, and Swedish Grandmaster Pia Cramling have suggested the show's legacy might well be a surge in interest from young female players. Benny is furious when she calls asking for help finding new funding, refusing to help her. MCF general secretary, Mr. Najib Abdul Wahab, noted that female chess players tend to be timid in nature; the best way for them to improve is to play and train with the boys. "[39] Reviewing for Rolling Stone, Alan Sepinwall gave it 3 out of 5 stars and said, "An aesthetically beautiful project with several superb performances, all in service to a story that starts to feel padded long before the end comes. [10], Pandolfini, together with consultants John Paul Atkinson and Iepe Rubingh, devised several hundred chess positions to be used for various situations in the script. In 2007, Scott was working with Heath Ledger on what would have been Ledger's directorial debut, before Ledger's death in January 2008. Following the success of the series, the website chess.com created a virtual version of Beth Harmon that chess players can play against in each of her life’s stages, corresponding to different difficulty levels. Netflix is resurrecting the classic chess prodigy archetype for its new miniseries The Queen's Gambit, starring Anya Taylor-Joy as an amazing young player. ", "How The Queen's Gambit became Netflix's unlikeliest hit of the year", "Netflix End-of-Year Ranker: 'Cocomelon,' 'The Office,' 'The Queens Gambit' Top 2020 List", "Mary McNamara: So many lives would be different if we'd had, "The Queen's Gambit and the Dangerous Myth of Drug-Induced Genius", "I Want to Live in the Reality of 'The Queen's Gambit, "New York Times, Washington Post feminist critics disparage The Queen's Gambit", "A Breakdown of the Costumes in Netflix's 'The Queen's Gambit, "Best Movie, TV and Comics of the Year Awards 2020", "Netflix's Ozark and The Crown lead TV nominations for Critics Choice Awards", "I'm a Chess Expert. [12] It was released on October 23, 2020, to widespread attention and critical acclaim. After the funeral, Beth revisits the orphanage and is moved to tears when she finds newspaper clippings on Mr. Shaibel's basement wall revealing that he had followed her career up until his death, as well as a photograph of the pair together during her time at the orphanage. The book was adapted for the 2020 Netflix miniseries o Read more about Beth Harmon at: Wikipedia. Unless there is a customized way of specifically fine tuning an engine to play like a specific chess player, a grandmaster for instance, it's not worth the effort and time to maintain these flashy nuances. Pawn Whisperer. [64][65], This article is about the Netflix miniseries. Taylor-Joy as an orphaned chess prodigy struggling with drug addiction. "[38] Variety's Caroline Framke wrote "The Queen's Gambit manages to personalize the game and its players thanks to clever storytelling and, in Anya Taylor-Joy, a lead actor so magnetic that when she stares down the camera lens, her flinty glare threatens to cut right through it. [42], The Washington Post's Monica Hesse considers the miniseries "revisionist history" but also "a wonderful future" in that the heroine's "uncluttered path to success" is "uninterrupted by sexism", and has men "refreshingly" looking out for the main female character, noting that the show "has no women in peril, and no skeezy men". From the show's Wikipedia, we learn that Garry Kasparov and chess coach Bruce Pandolfini acted as consultants, so that the actual games seem realistic. For the final game of the tournament, US Champion Elizabeth Harmon plays against World Champion and USSR Grandmaster Vasily Borgov in the 1968 Moscow Invitational Chess Tournament.It is the climax of the Netflix series, The Queen's Gambit. The author ... tends to show insufficient ingenuity in his artificially stylized accounts of chess tournaments (e.g. But child stardom comes at a price. However, a woman … Beginning mid-1950s and proceeding into the 1960s, the story is about an … The Queen’s Gambit chronicles the tale of chess prodigy Elizabeth Harmon, who takes it upon herself to navigate the male-dominated world of chess during the Cold War era while struggling with addiction, deep-rooted emotional trauma, and loneliness. 1 Netflix Show Right Now", "How 'The Queen's Gambit' made all the right moves", "The Queen's Gambit: Why is everyone suddenly talking about chess? [4] The series was written and directed by Scott Frank, who also created the series with Allan Scott. The Queen’s Gambit tells the electrifying story of a young chess phenom’s rise to the top. The series follows Beth (Anya Taylor-Joy), an orphan in 1960 Kentucky, discovering a talent for chess. I never disagreed with this, I completely agree 200%! As she adjusts to her new home, Beth enters a chess tournament and wins despite having no prior experience in competitive chess. This poem highlights one of the novel's main concerns: the inner workings of genius in a woman. She went on to become the first woman to play in top-level men's tournaments, Chess.com reports. Beth Harmon es un personaje de ficción y no vas a encontrarla por ningún lado en los libros de historia, pero está inspirada en varios jugadores reales, principalmente en Bobby Fischer. [29][30] The series topped the Nielsen's U.S. streaming rankings for the weeks of October 26 to November 1, November 2 to 8, and November 9 to 15, 2020, making it the first series to do so for three weeks straight. The Queen's Gambit is sheer entertainment. After four weeks it had become Netflix's most-watched scripted miniseries. So is Beth Harmon a real person? Taylor-Joy as an orphaned chess prodigy struggling with drug addiction. Netflix is resurrecting the classic chess prodigy archetype for its new miniseries The Queen's Gambit, starring Anya Taylor-Joy as an amazing young player. [18], Also see Author's Note for the novel quoted below, "Transcript of Book Beat radio feature on Walter S. Tevis, broadcast circa March 2, 1983", The Queen's Gambit: meet the real Beth Harmon… Bobby Fischer, The Queen's Gambit Is Based on the True Story of Several Chess Players Including the Book Author. "[3] In a 2020 interview with its director Scott Frank at the time of the television miniseries' release, chess consultant Bruce Pandolfini (b. I spent the last 3 days binging The Queen's Gambit on Netflix. Orphaned at the tender age of nine, prodigious introvert Beth Harmon discovers and masters the game of chess in 1960s USA. [41] Matt Miller of Esquire stated "The result is a pretty scary depiction of the stress of competitive chess in the 1960s. Harry Melling, at left, plays Harry Beltik, an opponent turned friend to Anya Taylor-Joy’s Beth Harmon. Years pass, and Beth is adopted as a teenager by Lexington couple Alma and Allston Wheatley. (From Contemporary Authors Online, 2007, Gale Reference). She quickly becomes a strong chess player due to her visualization skills, which are enhanced by the tranquilizers. At school, Beth is invited to a meeting of the "Apple Pi Club" by the girls who had initially shunned her. If course Beth Harmon would win. At Beth's suggestion, he moves into Alma's house to accompany the now lonely Beth. In 1983, The New York Times journalist Jesse Kornbluth acquired the screenplay rights but the project was called off when Tevis died in 1984. [2][3], The Queen's Gambit follows the life of an orphan chess prodigy, Beth Harmon, during her quest to become the world's greatest chess player while struggling with emotional problems and drug and alcohol dependency. The title of the series refers to a chess opening of the same name. Before (or after) you dive into your newest binge-watching obsession, we've unpacked the truth behind Beth Harmon, from her real life persona to the truth behind the world of chess. [10][18][19][20] Locations used in Berlin included the Kino International, the Berlin Zoo, Humana and the Friedrichstadt-Palast. Unfortunately, Beth isn’t real. [14] In January 2020, it was reported Moses Ingram had joined the cast of the series. Beth continues to skip school while traveling to tournaments and quickly gains national recognition for her achievements. The two spend time training and sleep together a few times until Beltik realizes Beth's obsession with chess will always supersede any relationship they may have. And is The Queen’s Gambit based on a true story? Harry Melling, at left, plays Harry Beltik, an opponent turned friend to Anya Taylor-Joy’s Beth Harmon. Beth Harmon is a chess player, one of the greatest ever to have lived. My … It's a drama about an orphan chess prodigy named Beth Harmon and her quest to become the world's greatest chess player. Obviously, after bingeing the entire series we decided to do some digging into the history behind the series. A bildungsroman, or coming-of-age story, it covers themes of adoption, feminism, chess, drug addiction and alcoholism. Inspiration for the Netflix series explained - and was Beth Harmon a real chess player? The story begins in the mid-1950s and proceeds into the 1960s. Tevis dreamed up Beth for his novel, so she's fictional. 2 2 1. He elaborates on this in the Author's Note for the novel: The superb chess of Grandmasters Robert Fischer, Boris Spassky and Anatoly Karpov has been a source of delight to players like myself for years. The Queen's Gambit Accepted: Central Variation, McDonnell Defense, is a somewhat unorthodox opening for both of their playing styles; Harmon more often plays … 'The Queen's Gambit' made it explode", "Can't Find A Chess Set? "[45] Alma drinks heavily and Allston is emotionally distant, frequently leaving for "business trips," making clear to Beth that the marriage is not a happy one. [16][17] Because the majority of the filming was carried out in Berlin, the minor roles were filled mostly by British and German actors. Cheesemaster Joined 22 Sep '20 Moves 2987. As she cruises through her games, she develops a crush on one of her opponents, a young man named Townes. Beth shall not be lewded! She is doubly orphaned', losing two mothers; she is addicted to tranquillisers and has incipient alcoholism; she is about 20 years old in 1969, the year I was born. Dolores Carbonari as Margaret, Beth's high school classmate. As was common during the 1950s, the orphanage dispenses daily tranquilizer pills to the girls,[5][6] which turns into an addiction for Beth. Beth fears that she will be sent back to the orphanage, but Alma tells her they will lie so she can stay. "[37] Darren Franich of Entertainment Weekly gave the series a B and described the lead actress, "Taylor-Joy excels in the quiet moments, her eyelids narrowing as she decimates an opponent, her whole body physicalizing angry desperation when the game turns against her. For most Americans, the most famous women chess players in the USA are Beth Harmon (a fictional character) and Phiona Mutesi (featured in the Disney film 'The Queen of Katwe' ), who, as an adult, is a USCF class B player. [22], The musical score was composed by Carlos Rafael Rivera. [17] Scott co-created and co-executive produced the 2020 Netflix series. Beth discovers her adoptive mother is taking the same tranquilizer pills that she was given at the orphanage and secretly steals a prescription for herself, allowing her to visualize chess on the ceiling again. Beth Harmon’s fictional life mirrors Tevis’s own. Bobby Fischer would not take her serious and be lost in a match before he awakens. The two part ways, as Beltik admits that his passion for the game has waned. [31][32][33], The Queen's Gambit eventually ranked third in Reelgood's yearly ranking of Netflix shows during 2020, with Cocomelon taking the first spot. ", "Anya Taylor-Joy to Star in 'The Queen's Gambit' Limited Series at Netflix", "Newcomer Moses Ingram Joins Denzel Washington in Joel Coen's 'Macbeth, "Game of Thrones, Peaky Blinders Stars Play a Risky Game in Netflix Chess Drama The Queen's Gambit — Watch", "Anya Taylor-Joy puts the patriarchy in check in The Queen's Gambit teaser", "Opinion: 'The Queen's Gambit' is the perfect escapist entertainment for the present moment", "Why Is Everyone So Obsessed With The Queen's Gambit? If you enjoyed the Netflix show “The Queen’s Gambit”, you can now play against a virtual Beth Harmon at different ages and stages of her chess career. The character of Beth Harmon, a chess prodigy who develops a tranquilizer addiction at a young age, was inspired by his own experiences. [51] In an interview with Vanity Fair, Woman Grandmaster Jennifer Shahade said that the series "completely nailed the chess accuracy". Together … Netflix released The Queen's Gambit on October 23, 2020. Created by Scott Frank, Allan Scott. And I was fortunate to have the warm-hearted and diligent help of National Master Bruce Pandolfini in proofreading the text and in helping me rid it of errors concerning the game he plays so enviably well. Is The Queen's Gambit Based on a True Story? With Anya Taylor-Joy, Chloe Pirrie, Bill Camp, Marcin Dorocinski. The Queen's Gambit traces chess prodigy Beth Harmon's life from her childhood in an orphanage through her struggles with tranquilizer and alcohol addiction to her triumphant rise through the Grandmaster ranks. He decided to reflect Beth's growth – both as a person and a chess player – by adding more and more instrumentation over time. [21] Some scenes were filmed in Canada; principal photography began in August 2019 in Cambridge, Ontario. Pic: Netflix. The Queen's Gambit is a 1983 American novel by Walter Tevis, exploring the life of fictional female chess prodigy Beth Harmon. The author had a tendencie to base books drawing from personal experiences but he wasn't a chess prodigy that's for sure. [52] In an article about the miniseries in The Times, British chess champion David Howell felt that the chess scenes were "well choreographed and realistic", while British Women's chess champion Jovanka Houska said, "I think it's a fantastic TV series ... [i]t conveys the emotion of chess really well. 1947) revealed[4] that Walter Tevis never had any intention to reference Bobby Fischer (1943–2008), the young American chess prodigy many commentators speculated was the obvious inspiration for his protagonist,[5][6][7][8][9] who had won the 1972 World Chess Championship a decade earlier. ‘The Queen’s Gambit’: A Female Bobby Fischer Keeps Her Challengers in Check, I’m a Chess Expert. She writes to Mr. Shaibel, who sends her the money for the entrance fee. Due to her skills, she won numerous titles at national level chess … The book was adapted for the 2020 Netflix miniseries of the same name. The Queen's Gambit is a 1983 American novel by Walter Tevis, exploring the life of fictional female chess prodigy Beth Harmon. Elizabeth "Beth" Harmon is a chess prodigy and the main character in the Netflix miniseries, The Queen's Gambit. That is what chess on its highest level is all about." The series is based off a book by the same title by Walter Tevis. [11][12] Pandolfini had consulted with Tevis prior to the novel's publication some 38 years earlier,[13] coming up with the title "The Queen's Gambit". Before (or after) you dive into your newest binge-watching obsession, we've unpacked the truth behind Beth Harmon, from her real life persona to the truth behind the world of chess. [9] Scott had been involved in attempts to get the book on screen since 1992, when he purchased the screenplay rights from Walter Tevis's widow. [13][14], Prior to the 2020 Netflix miniseries, there were two unsuccessful attempts to adapt the book. ", "A Netflix series next year called The Queen's Gambit xx", "The Queen's Gambit Trailer: Anya Taylor-Joy Dives Into Chess, Drugs, and More Chess", "Netflix Orders 'The Queen's Gambit' Limited Series From Scott Frank; Anya Taylor-Joy To Star", "Netflix's Marvelous The Queen's Gambit Is the Kind of Prestige Drama TV Doesn't Make Anymore", "The Queen's Gambit – Out Today On Netflix! Author: Walter Tevis: … The Queen's Gambit is a 2020 American coming-of-age period drama miniseries based on Walter Tevis's 1983 novel of the same name. Kasparov developed critical moments in the story, such as when a real 1998 game between grandmasters Arshak Petrosian and Vladimir Akopian was improved to showcase Beth's skill.[10]. 4 weeks ago. [60] According to The Guardian, grandmaster Maurice Ashley has been inundated by messages from people – mainly women – enthused by the series: "the frenzy around it is crazy. The story of a young girl, Beth Harmon, who escapes the difficult childhood thanks to her immense chess talent and beats the best men in their game has captured the attention all over the world. Is Beth Harmon from The Queen's Gambit a real person? Here’s What ‘The Queen’s Gambit’ Gets Right, "Anya Taylor-Joy to Star in 'The Queen's Gambit' Limited Series at Netflix", The Queen’s Gambit “phenomenon” becomes most popular limited series ever on Netflix, "The Queen's Gambit Trailer: Anya Taylor-Joy Dives Into Chess, Drugs, and More Chess", The Queen’s Gambit Teaser: Anya Taylor-Joy Is Addicted to Chess, Drugs, and More Chess, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=The_Queen%27s_Gambit_(novel)&oldid=1000459088, American novels adapted into television shows, Short description is different from Wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 15 January 2021, at 05:31.