The Queen's Gambit - Netflix

[Kolumbo]

I thought this show was excellent. I love the 60's time period, probably my favorite, the chess expertise, and the storyline. Great show. One point. When her circle of friends call her during the adjournment giving her the game plan. To me it seems chess is a match between two people. Similar to tennis where the individual stands on her own with no help from her coach. Beth worked hard, studied, practiced, matured. I wanted to see her win on her own. The scene where her friends call and give her instructions was certainly a feel-good moment. I thought it took a lot away from her victory. In this series she deserved to beat Borgov entirely on her own. They also seemed to play very quickly even in the most important games.

 

[CocoHusky]

I thought this show was excellent. I love the 60's time period, probably my favorite, the chess expertise, and the storyline. Great show. One point. When her circle of friends call her during the adjournment giving her the game plan. To me it seems chess is a match between two people. Similar to tennis where the individual stands on her own with no help from her coach. Beth worked hard, studied, practiced, matured. I wanted to see her win on her own. The scene where her friends call and give her instructions was certainly a feel-good moment. I thought it took a lot away from her victory. In this series she deserved to beat Borgov entirely on her own. They also seemed to play very quickly even in the most important games.

@j66kicker has addressed many of your points in a previous post.

I’ve watched the whole thing, and really enjoyed it. Garry Kasparov was a consultant for the series. He says they made all the chess games variations of real historical games, made sure all the details were correct, as serious chess players have criticized previous chess movies because the games were nonsense/garbage. He said the behavior of the Russians & KGB was realistic. And said it was realistic to hold strategy sessions overnight for games continued to the following day. The only thing not realistic chess-wise is they play much faster on screen than in real life (necessary to move things along in the video production).
Kasparov also said he’s known a couple players who were druggies like Beth, but that would never fly nowadays - too intense a focus is required. He said he also knew players who ‘sort of’ visualized games like she did on the ceiling, but not in a drug-induced state.
Also, some think her story parallels the real story of Bobby Fisher in many ways, including the time period.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

SHE

IS

RIVETING

It is a good thing she did Queen's Gambit, because the reviews of New Mutants indicate that movie is bad enough that it could kill any actor's career that didn't have other credits that he or she could lean on.

 

[temery]

It is a good thing she did Queen's Gambit, because the reviews of New Mutants indicate that movie is bad enough that it could kill any actor's career that didn't have other credits that he or she could lean on.

And she appears to be highly Intelligent, and a gifted master of chess, which is all that really matters.

 

[Waquoit]

I hope they avoid the temptation of a second series. This one should be allowed to stand is as.

I agree, where else do they have to go? Fall off the wagon, get better, beat a younger, less polite Russian? Pass.

 

[8893]

We just finished this. I had been holding off reading the rest of the thread until we did; but it’s funny to read now because I was immediately talking about another season and working in a Jolene storyline and I see that that has already been suggested here, not surprisingly I guess.

I also see the risk in pushing it when they did this one season so well. But I’m intrigued enough by the leads to keep watching. Love the style and music, too. Beth’s wardrobe person should win an Emmy.

 

[August_West]

We just finished this. I had been holding off reading the rest of the thread until we did; but it’s funny to read now because I was immediately talking about another season and working in a Jolene storyline and I see that that has already been suggested here, not surprisingly I guess.

I also see the risk in pushing it when they did this one season so well. But I’m intrigued enough by the leads to keep watching. Love the style and music, too. Beth’s wardrobe person should win an Emmy.

Love to see another season. She is riveting

 

[8893]

Love to see another season. She is riveting

It’s just too bad that Mr. Shaibel died. He was a great character.

Maybe he can reappear to her, like The Ghost & Mrs. Muir.

 

[8893]

Love to see another season. She is riveting

Getting your gal a curling iron for Christmas?

 

[August_West]

Getting your gal a curling iron for Christmas?

She is riveting

 

[8893]

She is riveting

Speaking of Beth, what was the deal with Townes? Gay or not? Did he say he was figuring things out, wanted to be friends, and she broke his heart? Not sure what to make of that.

 

[Bezzz]

I'm an architect, and an interior designer. I loved the wall paper.

 

[August_West]

Speaking of Beth, what was the deal with Townes? Gay or not? Did he say he was figuring things out, wanted to be friends, and she broke his heart? Not sure what to make of that.

Yup gay.

Also . Did she stay in Russia? Reverse defection?
also, and I’m glad they didn’t do it but was 1/2 expecting it. She’s gonna kill herself.

 

[Waquoit]

Yup gay.

We were just talking about that today, agreed. But what was with that earlier scene, the one that felt jailbaity?

 

[nelsonmuntz]

And she appears to be highly Intelligent, and a gifted master of chess, which is all that really matters.

You realize that it was a miniseries about a chess prodigy, and that Anya Taylor-Joy is not actually a Grand Master, right?

 

[ShakyTheMohel]

I just finished this also. While "she is riveting"... I thought the star of the show was the sets, costumes and music. Really captured the era and was a big part of the story.

Yes...the ending was hokey, but hokey is welcomed at this time.

 

[temery]

You realize that it was a miniseries about a chess prodigy, and that Anya Taylor-Joy is not actually a Grand Master, right?

I was talking about the character.

 

[Dove]

I was talking about the character.

The character is so riveting.

 

[OldBosd]

I thought this show was excellent. I love the 60's time period, probably my favorite, the chess expertise, and the storyline. Great show. One point. When her circle of friends call her during the adjournment giving her the game plan. To me it seems chess is a match between two people. Similar to tennis where the individual stands on her own with no help from her coach. Beth worked hard, studied, practiced, matured. I wanted to see her win on her own. The scene where her friends call and give her instructions was certainly a feel-good moment. I thought it took a lot away from her victory. In this series she deserved to beat Borgov entirely on her own. They also seemed to play very quickly even in the most important games.

This is partly what drove Fischer's insane hatred of the Soviets.

The Soviets would even make arranged draws between themselves to all save their energy vs. Fischer.

Elite Chess is like taking 5 finals in a day for weeks. Rest is EXTREMELY important because many games are decided by a momentary let down.

At the time, pre-computers, the Soviets had almost all the top chess players and they collectively worked on innovations to beat Fischer.

He was really battling a system as much as a person.

The Soviets were famous for taking games into adjustment and then having all the worlds top player analyze all night as the player rested and then show him the fruits in the morning.

Today, with computers, adjournment would be meaningless. Run the computer, memorize the lines and play it out like robots

The level of detail in the series is amazing. When there is some random game being analyzed is a real and important one from that era - even if it's on screen for just a few seconds.

Even how the moved the pieces is realistic. It's weird - you can spot an experienced chess player just on how they move. The film captured is so perfectly it is clear they rehearsed even that.

 

[OldBosd]

Magnus is on a massive tilt.

I don't think he is going to make the finals

 

[Kolumbo]

Magnus is on a massive tilt.

I don't think he is going to make the finals

I just checked out the result. Didn't watch it though.

Queen's Gambit was riveting because Beth, in addition to being stunning, kept surprising the best people. I thought she hit her limit when Benny crushed her in speed chess, but then he tells her she's the best player here.

1. How many moves ahead can the best players think, including all of the variations based on the oppositions move?
2. Can two players really play chess in their heads just by calling out squares and having no board in front of them?

Beth + Benny | Break Your Heart (The Queen's Gambit)

♔ “Have you ever been in love?”__________________PLEASE WATCH IN HD! IT'S BETTER![ ] I'm bingewatching this show...

youtu.be

Beth and Benny’s Story - The Pirate and the Queen | The Queen’s Gambit

“Do you still like my hair?” From the moment Beth Harmon (Anya Taylor Joy) first picked up a chess piece, she was unbeatable. Until she met Benny Watts (Thom...

youtu.be

 

[OldBosd]

I just checked out the result. Didn't watch it though.

Queen's Gambit was riveting because Beth, in addition to being stunning, kept surprising the best people. I thought she hit her limit when Benny crushed her in speed chess, but then he tells her she's the best player here.

1. How many moves ahead can the best players think, including all of the variations based on the oppositions move?
2. Can two players really play chess in their heads just by calling out squares and having no board in front of them?

Beth + Benny | Break Your Heart (The Queen's Gambit)

♔ “Have you ever been in love?”__________________PLEASE WATCH IN HD! IT'S BETTER![ ] I'm bingewatching this show...

youtu.be

Beth and Benny’s Story - The Pirate and the Queen | The Queen’s Gambit

“Do you still like my hair?” From the moment Beth Harmon (Anya Taylor Joy) first picked up a chess piece, she was unbeatable. Until she met Benny Watts (Thom...

youtu.be

Speed chess is a HUGE part of chess culture and someone like Benny would have played thousands and thousands of speed chess games before crushing Beth. Speed chess is like anything else. You have to train specifically for it to be your best.

1) How many variations? Studies have shown that grandmasters often calculate LESS variations than weaker players because they can more quickly eliminate lines that go nowhere. Time is spent evaluating the imbalances in the position, trying to figure out which ones matter the most and developing a plan. After a while, you develop a 6th sense for when you need to look for a crushing move that needs to be calculated.

2) Playing "blindfold chess" seems much harder than it really is once you hit a certain level. In complex positions, it is common to calculate looking away from the board because the static position on the board is a distraction to the dynamic position in you are calculating in your mind. I can play multiple blindfold games at once - but I don't "see" the board in my mind. It's more like I "see" the relationships between the pieces.

In 1979, Cecil Purdy of Australia, the first correspondence world champion, was playing a game of chess in Sydney when he suffered a heart attack. His last words to his son (who was also in the same tournament) were purportedly, "I have a win, but it will take some time." Another source says that his last words were "I have to seal a move." He died shortly after.

Here is Magnus playing blindfold

 

[OldBosd]

Chess grandmaster plays 48 games at once, blindfolded while riding exercise bike

The 28-year-old Timur Gareyev has set a world record for blindfold chess of 48 games at once and the US grandmaster says he is ready to take on 55 games simultaneously

www.theguardian.com

.

 

[Kolumbo]

Speed chess is a HUGE part of chess culture and someone like Benny would have played thousands and thousands of speed chess games before crushing Beth. Speed chess is like anything else. You have to train specifically for it to be your best.

1) How many variations? Studies have shown that grandmasters often calculate LESS variations than weaker players because they can more quickly eliminate lines that go nowhere. Time is spent evaluating the imbalances in the position, trying to figure out which ones matter the most and developing a plan. After a while, you develop a 6th sense for when you need to look for a crushing move that needs to be calculated.

2) Playing "blindfold chess" seems much harder than it really is once you hit a certain level. In complex positions, it is common to calculate looking away from the board because the static position on the board is a distraction to the dynamic position in you are calculating in your mind. I can play multiple blindfold games at once - but I don't "see" the board in my mind. It's more like I "see" the relationships between the pieces.





Here is Magnus playing blindfold

Oh but he got to go first on all 5 boards.

This, if real, is freaking amazing. After the matches near the end of the video he said he lost a couple matches and that he had no idea what was going on on board 3. But his moves were still legit. I don't get it.

 

[OldBosd]

Oh but he got to go first on all 5 boards.

This, if real, is freaking amazing. After the matches near the end of the video he said he lost a couple matches and that he had no idea what was going on on board 3. But his moves were still legit. I don't get it.

Watch this video from a key moment in a world championship game.

Kasparov played the move almost instantly - he "knew" the sacrifice was correct.

He somehow knew all the lines being demonstrated worked for him in an instant.

Pure instinct.