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The Queen's Gambit is a 2020 American coming-of-age period drama television miniseries based on the 1983 novel of the same name by Walter Tevis. The title refers to the "Queen's Gambit", a chess opening. The series was written and directed by Scott Frank, who created it with Allan Scott, who owns the rights to the book. Beginning in the mid-1950s and proceeding into the 1960s, the story follows the life of Beth Harmon (Anya Taylor-Joy), a fictional American chess prodigy on her rise to the top of the chess world while struggling with drug and alcohol dependency. Netflix released The Queen's Gambit on October 23, 2020. After four weeks it had become Netflix's most-watched scripted miniseries, making it Netflix's top program in 63 countries. The series received critical acclaim, with particular praise for Taylor-Joy's performance, the cinematography, and production values. It also received a positive response from the chess community for its often accurate depictions of high-level chess, and data suggests that it increased public interest in the game. The Queen's Gambit won eleven Primetime Emmy Awards, including Outstanding Limited or Anthology Series, becoming the first show on a streaming service to win the category. The series also won two Golden Globe Awards: Best Limited Series or Television Film and Best Actress – Miniseries or Television Film for Taylor-Joy. She also won the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Miniseries or Television Movie. Overview The Queen's Gambit follows the life of an orphan chess prodigy, Elizabeth Harmon, during her quest to become an elite chess player while struggling with emotional problems, drugs and alcohol dependency. The title of the series refers to a chess opening of the same name. The story is set in the mid-1950s and 1960s. In the 1950s in Lexington, Kentucky, an eight-year-old Beth, having lost her mother in a car crash, is taken to an orphanage where she is taught chess by the building's custodian, Mr. Shaibel. As was common at the time, the orphanage dispenses daily tranquilizer pills to the girls to "balance their disposition", which turns into an addiction for Beth. She quickly becomes a strong chess player due to her visualization skills. A few years later, Beth is adopted by childless suburban couple Alma and Allston Wheatley. As she adjusts to her new home, Beth enters a chess tournament and wins despite having no prior experience in competitive chess. Alma is initially resistant to Beth's interest in chess, but after Beth wins her first tournament, Alma is fully supportive of her adoptive daughter's sojourns to enter various chess competitions. Beth develops friendships with several people, including former Kentucky State Champion Harry Beltik, United States National Champion Benny Watts, and journalist and fellow player D.L. Townes. As Beth rises to the top of the chess world and reaps the financial benefits of her success, her drug and alcohol dependency worsens. With help from her oldest friend Jolene, whom she grew up with in the orphanage, she prepares for a major international chess tournament against the world's best players in Moscow. Cast and characters Main Anya Taylor-Joy as Beth Harmon, an orphan who matures into a competitive young adult fueled by a desire to become the greatest chess player in the world while masking a growing addiction to the drugs and alcohol that allow her to function Isla Johnston as nine-year-old Beth Annabeth Kelly as five-year-old Beth Bill Camp as William Shaibel, the custodian at the Methuen Home for Girls and an experienced chess player who teaches Beth how to play the game at age 9 Moses Ingram as Jolene, a rebellious teenager at the Methuen Home who becomes Beth's closest childhood friend Christiane Seidel as Helen Deardorff, director of Methuen Home for Girls Rebecca Root as Miss Lonsdale, the chaplain and choir director at Methuen Chloe Pirrie as Alice Harmon, Beth's deceased mother (seen only in flashbacks) who earned a Ph.D. in mathematics at Cornell University before experiencing a downward spiral in her mental health Akemnji Ndifornyen as Mr. Fergusson, the orderly at Methuen, who among other roles administers state-mandated pills to the girls Marielle Heller as Alma Wheatley, who with her husband Allston adopts Beth as a young teenager and later acts as a manager for Beth's chess career. Alma's biological child died sometime before Beth's adoption, and she develops a worsening alcoholism that begins to influence Beth. Harry Melling as Harry Beltik, Kentucky State Champion, whom Beth defeats in her first tournament and later befriends Patrick Kennedy as Allston Wheatley, Alma's husband and Beth's estranged adoptive father Jacob Fortune-Lloyd as D.L. Townes, a chess player and journalist who befriends Beth and with whom she is infatuated Thomas Brodie-Sangster as Benny Watts, a brash young New Yorker who is the reigning United States Chess Champion, later Beth's mentor, lover and friend Marcin Dorociński as Vasily Borgov, Soviet World Champion and Beth's biggest challenge Recurring Sergio Di Zio as Beth's biological father Dolores Carbonari as Margaret, Beth's high school classmate and bully Eloise Webb as Annette Packer, a friendly teenager who becomes Beth's first tournament opponent Matthew and Russell Dennis Lewis as Matt and Mike, twin brothers who serve as event organisers and tournament directors at Beth's first tournament and go on to become her friends Max Krause as Arthur Levertov, a grandmaster and friend of Benny's who assists Beth with her training Ryan Wichert as Hilton Wexler, a strong player and chess problem enthusiast, friend of Benny Guest Jonjo O'Neill as Mr. Ganz, a local high school chess club teacher who invites a young Beth to play at his school Louis Ashbourne Serkis as Georgi Girev, a 13-year-old Soviet chess prodigy Janina Elkin as Borgov's wife, who is also his interpreter Millie Brady as Cleo, a French model who had a brief affair with Benny. She quickly befriends Beth. Bruce Pandolfini as Ed Spencer, a tournament director John Schwab as Mr. Booth, Beth's minder from the State Department Marcus Loges as Luchenko, a veteran former world chess champion and still a formidable player Episodes Production Development On March 19, 2019, Netflix gave the production a series order consisting of six episodes. The series was written and directed by Scott Frank, who also created the series with Allan Scott. The two also served as executive producers alongside William Horberg. Allan 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. The series was released on October 23, 2020, with seven episodes instead of the original six-episode order. Writing Former World Chess Champion Garry Kasparov and chess coach Bruce Pandolfini acted as consultants. Pandolfini had consulted with Tevis prior to the novel's publication some.... 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