The original Netflix series The Queen’s Gambit recently attracted the attention of Netflix users, ranking among the top 10 most-watched shows in Korea. In addition, it also set a new record by taking the top spot in more than 60 countries around the world and made chess, the main subject of the series, more popular. The Queen’s Gambit was written and directed by Scott Frank, a two-time Academy Award nominee. It starred Anya Taylor-Joy, Thomas Brody-Sangster, and Bill Camp as chess players.

Based on Walter Tevis’ novel, The Queen's Gambit, written in 1983, Netflix's The Queen’s Gambit is set in the late 1950s during the Cold War between the United States and the Soviet Union. The story is about a young girl, Beth Harman, who lives at an orphanage. She is addicted to medication provided by the orphanage, and through this addiction, she gradually becomes fascinated with chess. She relies on drugs and alcohol to get by but develops a strong will to conquer the professional world of chess. So, the title The Queen’s Gambit literally means a queen's ploy, representing a protagonist who is obsessed with chess, her only purpose in life. Actress Anya Taylor-Joy, who played the main character, is an American-born Argentine-British actress. She is considered a rising talent due to her excellent portrayal of a decadent and mysterious character in The Queen's Gambit. She won a Golden Globe for her performance in the mini-series.

Chess is a well-known board game in the West. Chess is especially popular in North America and Europe, and the number of annual competitions and prize money is considerable. The main goal in chess is to force the opponent’s king into a situation where it has no choice but to be caught. This is called checkmate. The way chess is played in each game is largely divided into three stages: the opening, middle, and endgame.

Firstly, the opening usually refers to the first ten moves. There are countless ways of opening and according to how you start your opening, the middle of the game can be greatly affected. Second, the middle game. In the middle, there is a very fierce battle, where players are most competitive. Here, intuition and insight to see the advantageous positions are important. Also, how the player moves in the middle game determines victory or defeat. Third, the endgame. The endgame is usually called when few pieces remain. In this case, the king should also make a foray to the center, participate in the attack, and force the opponent’s king into the corner to make it easier to achieve checkmate. One mistake here can be fatal. However, it is simpler than the middle game. It is common to make more than 50 moves from the start of a game to the end of a game. Generally, Netflix’s limited series often comprise an even number of episodes like four, six, or eight. However, The Queen’s Gambit consists of seven episodes, which seems to correspond with Beth’s development. This seems intentional given that the distance from the starting space of the pawn on the chessboard to the last line, at which point it can be promoted to the queen, is seven spaces.

In summary, The Queen’s Gambit depicts the process of a girl finding her talent and struggling with loneliness as she grows up, relying on alcohol and drugs. It is a highly recommendable show, especially for people interested in chess.

 
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