Various Netflix series trend for different reasons. But why did this one?

Warning: Spoilers ahead

The queen’s gambit is an opening move in the game of Chess. It is the forte of Beth, the protagonist’s final opponent. She ends up beating him at his own game. Hence the title.

The opening scene:

The first scene starts with the match where she was about to have her first taste of defeat – a turning point in the story. The possibility that she could lose is mind-boggling to her. That is the day her pride and overconfidence takes a hit- the overconfidence that even if she was on drugs, she will still always win. After tumultuous times of licking her wound in solitary, she realizes the sanctity of the game and the lengths she will go for it.

Cinematography- killer shots.

• The first time the game in her head starts playing out on the ceiling was mindblowing. The picturization of the magnificent chess pieces, slowly making their way across a chessboard on the ceiling, was eerily surreal and stunning.
• Beth and Benny play in the US chess championship against various opponents, and they slowly move up levels for the final face-off against each other. Every opponent they beat appeared on a chess square as they were defeated. The portrayal was exemplary.

Dialogues- Nailed it.

• Beltik understood that he was only an option when she was lonely, and she didn’t necessarily harbor any special feelings for him and hence decides to leave. Beltik places the drugs she kept hidden before her and leaves with a parting shot, “It’s not worth running the risk of going mad for the sake of vanity.”
• Beth develops a grudging respect for her kindred spirit- Benny, her co-champion in the USA. She asks him, “Do you play through all the games in your head?”. His reply, “Doesn’t everyone?” was whistle-worthy.

Characters- unique.

• Benny was an intriguing character among the various cliches of today’s world. He was so driven by his passion for Chess that food and living quarters were mere matters of necessity. He makes one wonder how it feels to be so lost in their life’s calling. He is a rare soul who lives for cerebral stimulation rather than physical ones.
• The near-sisterly bond Beth shares with her adopted mother was expertly woven.
• The character of the Russian player Borgov was elegantly sculpted. He was her Mt.Everest, the unbeaten world champion. When his sharp, calculative eyes show a rare emotion of admiration, the point is driven home- she was a formidable opponent. 

The way it makes you feel- high.

• When Beth becomes so good that she wins not just Benny but also his friends in speed chess- that’s how feeling high must feel!
• More than the technique of the game, this series makes you fall in love with the eloquent art of it. 

The end- fitting.

After beating Borgov, Beth walks into the Moscow park and starts playing against the streets’ undiscovered talents. A queen never stops ruling.

Lessons to take home:

1. Talent needs to be seasoned with hard work. She had to plow through loads of boring strategies of several champions- dead and alive, albeit being an intuitive player. 
2. Passion outranks vanity. Only when she started respecting Chess and not how winning made her feel, she really won.

Verdict:

This ingeniously written story is a must-watch.

My rating: 4.8 stars/5

P.S: Which was your favorite character in this series? Reply in the comments!