Beth Harmon Is Chess

 


The Queen's Gambit a book by Walter Tevis and a huge Netflix Limited Series is the greatest story ever told about chess. Beth Harmon, the lead character in the story is also probably the single most famous chess personality fictional or otherwise. The interest in Chess has been resurgent and seems to know no bounds as chess set sales skyrocket and everybody seems to have either discovered chess can be cool or has rediscovered the game they left years before and proudly state that they used to play.


Anya Taylor-Joy, the Golden Globe winning actress who played Beth Harmon did an incredible job with the character. I have watched and rewatched the show several times and when I see her move the pieces I am convinced she knows how to play chess and is genuinely the chess-playing prodigy she claims to be. Beth's nonchalant attitude and indefatigable determination to succeed was irresistible to watch and seems to have energised and powered the enthusiasm we see for all things Chess now.


What is our Endgame? I mean is this going to last? Well, I think as long as Netflix keeps teasing us with the show sequel then we will keep being enamored by it. The show was a piece of art and stands alone as the greatest dramatic depiction of chess ever made.


I've devoted a large part of my life to chess. Many hours posting chess content to a ever smaller group of chess fanatics. I have justified this as all chess people do with the excuse that I am doing something worthy of praise and admiration because chess is intrinsically a thing of beauty and value. I think that narrative has become harder and harder to convince myself about let alone others, that was before The Queen's Gambit.



I've noticed that in the chess world there seem to be a few different reactions to Beth Harmon. Firstly is the fanatical response, she's is literally chess and all things flow through Beth Harmon and always will. Then secondly there is the encouraged but skeptical response. Yeah, Beth Harmon is good for chess overall but beware you get too sucked in as it is fleeting as Fischer, Kasparov and Magnus all were. Thirdly, is the rejection response, this is not real, Beth is not real, you are not being real. I can't see why chess can't replace Caissa with Beth Harmon. I mean what did Caissa ever do for you?


Well, all is said and done the true legacy of Beth Harmon will be what Walter Tevis always wanted which is the glorification of the world's oldest and greatest board game. The power of chess to rejuvenate, refurbish and reinvigorate our tranquility.

Artworks by Charis Tsevis

https://tsevis.com/the-queens-gambit

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