October 23, 2020, the new drama miniseries on Netflix called The Queen’s Gambit was finally released on Netflix and fans are raving about its compelling and captivating storyline. 

Rated eighty-eight percent on IMDb and one hundred percent on Rotten Tomatoes, The Queen’s Gambit currently holds the #1 position for “Top 10 in the US Today” on Netflix. “Its moves aren’t always perfect,” states the critics’ consensus on Rotten Tomatoes, “but between Anya Taylor-Joy’s magnetic performance, incredibly realized period details, and emotionally intelligent writing, The Queen’s Gambit is an absolute win.” Reena Patel (12) also confessed to binge-watching the show, saying that “The Queen’s Gambit was so addictive that I had to keep watching!”

The Queen’s Gambit focuses on the peculiar life of a young orphan named Beth Harmon played by Anya Taylor-Joy, who is also well known for her roles in The Witch, Split, Glass, and Emma. After being abandoned by her birth mother in the late 1950s, Beth Harmon quickly uncovers a talent for playing and winning at chess while living at the orphanage. Years later, Beth is finally adopted by Alma Wheatley (played by Marielle Heller) and her husband. Once she is moved in with her new parents, Beth participates in a number of chess tournaments and wins, despite having no experience in competitive chess. Through her victories, Beth forms many relationships with past opponents such as Harry Beltik (played by Harry Melling), Townes (played by Jacob Fortune-Lloyd), and Benny Watts (played by Thomas Brodie-Sangster).

Throughout her teenage years, Beth continues to compete in chess tournaments and makes money from her numerous wins. When Alma Wheatley finally comes to terms with the fact that her husband has left her, she becomes Beth’s manager, and the two develop an incredibly strong mother-daughter bond. As the years pass, Beth Harmon made a name for herself as she travels around the world, winning major chess tournaments. After winning in the 1967 US Championship, Beth is invited to a chess tournament in Paris where she plays and loses against Vasily Borgov (played by Marcin Dorociński), the Grandmaster of professional chess. More time passes by and Beth attends the Moscow Invitational where she, once again, plays against Borgov. This time, however, Borgov is stunned when Beth plays the Queen’s Gambit (which is also the name of a chess setup technique), inevitably causing her to become victorious and the new Grandmaster.

Overall, The Queen’s Gambit has an incredible plot that pleases its viewers and keeps them hooked till the very last episode. If you have not already watched The Queen’s Gambit, stop reading this article, get comfortable on your favorite couch, browse onto your Netflix, press play, and prepare for seven episodes of perfection.