"The Queen's Gambit": Kind of Misses the Point

The critically acclaimed Netflix series: "The Queen's Gambit" was revolutionary for the sport of chess; it evoked a passion in many who were unbeknownst to the game and rekindled a love for long-time enthusiasts like myself.

Beth Harmon, an orphaned chess prodigy fights her own battle with drug addiction whilst ascending the ranks of masters of chess. It is her story of fighting herself, her inner demons and the patriarchy which gate-keeps the world of chess. The show not only explores chess as a sport but also as a salvation for a young girl seeking a thrill. Chess is a distraction and an avenue of escapism for Harmon, taught to her by the orphanage's janitor Mr. Shaibel.

Harmon, at a young age, learns patience, grit and determination all while being in the shackles of a drug addiction which began with the orphanage disguising psychedelics in the form of daily medication for the orphans. The juxtaposition is such that to escape her substance addiction, Harmon has to seek refuge with her addiction of chess. The battle of the addictions, we can call it. The strongest one prevails and it happened to be - you might have guessed - chess.

Chess has been stereotyped as a game for 'nerds', upholding a convoluted reputation that it is only restricted to those with high levels of IQ and, I daresay, a lack of better things to do. I admired how the beauty of chess was brought to illumination with the series, showing viewers that chess is not only a game rather, a way of life. I can appreciate what this show has done for the game of chess and how it is uplifting it in the hierarchy of athleticism. There are enough reviews marveling at the way the series does this but as someone who has played chess since about age 10, I have a bone to pick with the delivery of certain aspects within the show.

#1 The portrayal of an individual's journey in chess is highly unrealistic

If anyone has watched the Queen's Gambit, one of the top words that will come to their mind is 'inspiring' - which it surely is. But, not all is as simple as it seems. The series reignited my love for chess as I watched Harmon master the game with ease but when I started practicing the game once again, I found that I couldn't do it half as fast nor as skillful as her. Since I have been exposed to chess before, I know how difficult it is to master the game but for someone who is a novice to it, the series can give an impression that it is a very easy task to get good at chess and quick. It couldn't be more wrong. Chess is easy to learn but immensely difficult to master. Even Grandmasters (GM) to this day say that they learn new things everytime they play. Such is the beauty of chess - no room for monotony or boredom.

It bothered me that this is the portrayal of a chess player that has to immerse itself in the mainstream - as if chess mastery is a measly task but the majority who attempt will know that it takes years and years of high-level practice, studying and playing to achieve significantly in competitive chess calibre. We only get snapshots of Harmon's life, when she is an adolescent and suddenly, she is an adult who is an advanced player, competing in tournaments. We do see how she does struggle against certain opponents but all's well that ends well. The struggle is too downplayed and glamourised.

#2 Female empowerment = Beth Harmon? We should think again.

I firstly, really appreciate that the protagonist of this show is female. It is a breath of fresh air in a male-dominated sport and I'm sure, Beth Harmon is especially every female chess player's idol. But, is she really role model material? Of course, the way in which she manages to emotionally tackle her struggles is admirable but do we really want young girls being inspired by Harmon's personality? Harmon is condescending, arrogant and apathetic - and although this is completely justified as a character arc and in the light of character development, I can't help but think it is detrimental to execute the protagonist in this manner when one of the biggest motifs of the show is feminism and female empowerment. I am not saying that characters shouldn't have ugly sides - in fact, we very much should and that is done very well with showcasing how Beth combats her drug addiction but the addition of her lack of empathy as a character, I think does more harm than good to what the notion is of a female entity.

#3 The show can become too slow-paced for viewers to stick on

The last episode of the show makes the entire wait worth it. However the journey leading up to this point is too lingering and excruciatingly slow. If the number of episodes were reduced, the show's message could have been better passed on with better sustained viewership as well.

To sign off, I'd like to end with an appreciating for what this series has done for the game of chess and popularising it. I thought it was done well but not perfectly and the factors mentioned above are the major issues I had with it.

All in all, still rather enjoyable. 7/10.