Chess, a game that many kids probably have considered a form of torture, is the main focal point of the new hit Netflix show The Queen’s Gambit. 

This is a fictional series, based on a novel, that has only seven episodes, so it is easy to get hooked on and complete watching quickly.

Beth Harmon (Anya Taylor-Joy) is the best female chess player during the Cold War era. The Queen’s Gambit, named after a chess strategy, showcases the obstacles she faces in her pursuit of championships. 

The storyline opens with Harmon as an orphan and follows her into early adulthood. The series shows her maturing in every episode as her chess skills also start to improve. 

Beth is obsessive, becoming addicted to both winning and alcohol. Adding realism, the competitors in the show play out actual chess games from famous competitions.

For fashion fans, the show’s creators make sure that every episode shows off clothing from its Cold War time period.

The Queen’s Gambit draws viewers in within the first five minutes of the first episode, taking them on a rollercoaster of adventures with Beth’s journey into adulthood.