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To mark the Netflix drama ‘The Queen’s Gambit’, I am featuring Vera Menchik — the first Women’s World Champion. About the new mini-series, Albert Silver wrote:
The good news is that not only is chess superbly rendered, with a wide variety of grandmaster-level positions and situations, but the story and production of “The Queen’s Gambit” is exceptional on all levels. Simply put: this is easily the best chess movie or series to ever grace the screens.
The main game is Menchik vs Becker. Albert Becker was the founder and unintended first member of the Vera Menchik Club. Becker ridiculed Menchik’s entry into the Carlsbad 1929 tournament by proposing that any player whom Menchik defeated in tournament play should be granted membership into the Vera Menchik Club. In the same tournament, Becker himself became the first member of the "club".
First, try to solve the following problem from Menchik vs. Graf from the 1937 Women’s World Championship. How does White break through?
The problem at the end of the broadcast was composed by Edith Baird (1859-1924), known in her day as ‘The Queen of Chess’. She composed more than 2000 problems which were published in newspapers all over the world.
You’ll find older broadcasts in the Power Play category. To watch these you'll need a ChessBase Premium Account.
Daniel King is the prolific author of the Power Play series which numbers 28 volumes to date. The Tactic Turbo for the King’s Gambit is the subject of his most recent DVD.
Here’s a teaser:
