1/20/2021 – Frank Scott's "The Queen's Gambit" with Anya Taylor-Joy as Beth Harmon is the most successful Netflix series of all time, and despite small inaccuracies it convincingly shows how exciting and fascinating chess can be. In fact, the games Beth Harmon plays in the series were almost all taken from actual tournament or matches. But which games found their way into the series? In New in Chess Magazine 08/2020 Erwin l'Ami took a closer look. | Photo: Beth Harmon's most crucial game | Photo: Screenshot from the series
Fritz has fascinated the chess world for 30 years. And the success story continues. In Vienna, the most popular chess program ever was once again able to underline its premier position: the newly developed neural engine with NNUE technology won the official Chess Software World Championship!
Winning starts with what you know The new version 18 offers completely new possibilities for chess training and analysis: playing style analysis, search for strategic themes, access to 6 billion Lichess games, player preparation by matching Lichess games, download Chess.com games with built-in API, built-in cloud engine and much more.
In almost every chess game there comes a moment when you just can’t go on without tactics. You must strike to not giving away the advantage you have worked for the whole game.
€32.90
Chess games in "The Queen's Gambit": Fiction and Reality
The last issue of the New in Chess Magazine in 2020 is again a treat, and offers a number of interesting articles about various topics. Alireza Firouzja, for example, talks about the differences between "real" and online chess and his passion for the game, Judit Polgar recalls her encounters with Boris Spassky, and Jan Timman takes a look at Levon Aronian's strong performance in the Norway Chess Tournament 2020.
Another highlight of the issue is Erwin l'Ami's search for the games that featured in "The Queen's Gambit", a "potent blend of exquisite chess from the early 17th century till our day". In passing, l'Ami notes that "Harmon hasn't made a single draw throughout the series, Combative she certainly is."
The climax of the series is Beth Harmon's game against World Champion Vasily Borgov, which, as the series suggests, makes Beth Harmon the world's number one and indicates that she has managed to overcome her demons.
The game ends with a with a pretty queen sacrifice, and, as l'Ami found out, is based on a game Vassily Ivanchuk and Patrick Wolff played at the Interzonal Tournament 1993 in Biel. For 36 moves Harmon and Borgov followed this predecessor, but then Harmon goes her own – and probably better – ways.
New ...
New Game
Edit Game
Setup Position
Open...
PGN
FEN
Share...
Share Board (.png)
Share Board (configure)
Share playable board
Share game as GIF
Notation (PGN)
QR Code
Layout...
Use splitters
Swipe notation/lists
Reading mode
Flip Board
Settings
Move
N
Result
Elo
Players
1.e4
1,166,623
54%
2421
---
1.d4
947,298
55%
2434
---
1.Nf3
281,602
56%
2441
---
1.c4
182,102
56%
2442
---
1.g3
19,702
56%
2427
---
1.b3
14,265
54%
2427
---
1.f4
5,897
48%
2377
---
1.Nc3
3,801
51%
2384
---
1.b4
1,756
48%
2380
---
1.a3
1,206
54%
2404
---
1.e3
1,068
48%
2408
---
1.d3
954
50%
2378
---
1.g4
664
46%
2360
---
1.h4
446
53%
2374
---
1.c3
433
51%
2426
---
1.h3
280
56%
2418
---
1.a4
110
60%
2466
---
1.f3
92
46%
2436
---
1.Nh3
89
66%
2508
---
1.Na3
42
62%
2482
---
Please, wait...
1.d4d52.c4dxc43.e4Nc64.Be3Nf65.Nc3e56.d5Ne77.Bxc4Ng68.f3Bd69.Qd2Bd710.Nge2a611.Bb3b512.a40-013.0-0Qe714.Rac1Nh515.g3h616.Bc2Rab817.axb5axb518.Ra1Ra819.Bd3Bb420.Rxa8Rxa821.Qc2Bc522.Nd1Bd623.Nf2Nhf424.Rc1Qg525.Kh1Qh526.Ng1Nxd327.Nxd3f528.Nc5Bc829.Rf1Ne730.Qd3fxe431.fxe4Qg632.Kg2Kh733.Nf3Ng834.Nh4Qg435.Nf5Nf636.h3Qg637.Ne6Here, the fictitious game deviates from its source.
Ivanchuk now played37.g4which led to a draw afterBxc538.Bxc5Ra439.Rf3Rc440.Be7Bxf541.Rxf5Rd442.Qe3Rxe443.Qf3Rf444.Rxf4exf445.Bxf6Qxf646.Qd3+Qg647.Qe2c648.Kf3cxd549.Kxf4Qf6+50.Kg3Qd6+51.Kf3b452.h4Qf6+53.Kg3Qd6+54.Kf3Qf6+55.Kg3g656.Qe8Qd6+57.Kf3Kg758.g5hxg559.hxg5d460.Qe4d361.Qb7+Kf862.Qc8+Ke763.Qb7+Ke664.Qe4+Kd765.Qb7+Kd866.Qa8+Kc767.Qa7+Kc868.Qa8+Kc769.Qa7+Kc670.Qa6+Kc571.Qxd6+Kxd672.Ke3Ke537...Ra438.b3Rxe439.Nxd6Bxe640.dxe6cxd641.e7d542.Bc5Qe843.Qf3Qc644.b4Qe845.Qf5+Kh846.Qxf6gxf647.Rxf6Qh548.Rf8+Kg749.e8QRe2+50.Kf1Qxh3+51.Kxe2Qg2+52.Rf2Qe4+53.Kd21–0
The end of the game is purely ficticious but this did not stop players such as Magnus Carlsen and Hikaru Nakamura to comment it in depth.
Carlsen went first:
A little later Nakamura followed suit – again via YouTube. But he now not only comments the game between Harmon and Borgov, but also Carlsen's comments.
And who knows, maybe this fictional game will soon find its way into textbooks and anthologies?
Johannes FischerJohannes Fischer was born in 1963 in Hamburg and studied English and German literature in Frankfurt. He now lives as a writer and translator in Nürnberg. He is a FIDE-Master and regularly writes for KARL, a German chess magazine focusing on the links between culture and chess. On his own blog he regularly publishes notes on "Film, Literature and Chess".
The free app from ChessBase! ChessBase Mobile has everything you need as a chess player on the go:
access your chess data in cloud databases - and 13 million games.
Whether it’s a weak pawn, a vulnerable king, or poor piece coordination, this course will teach you how to pinpoint the critical targets, prioritise your attack, and execute a clear, effective plan.
Videos by Nico Zwirs: Nimzo-Indian with 4.e3 b6 and Robert Ris: French Advance Variation with 6.Na3. Alexander Donchenko analyses his winning game against Fabiano Caruana from the Saint Louis Masters 2024. “Lucky bag" with another 43 analyses by Edouard,
The Black Sniper is back – sharper and deadlier than ever! This dynamic system (1...g6, 2...Bg7, 3...c5 against 1.e4, 1.d4 and 1.c4) creates unpredictable, high-pressure positions, leaving opponents struggling to adapt.
YOUR EASY ACCESS TO OPENING THEORY: Whether you want to build up a reliable and powerful opening repertoire or find new opening ideas for your existing repertoire, the Opening Encyclopaedia covers the entire opening theory on one product.
The King‘s Indian Attack is a universal opening: easy to learn, flexible, and rich in both tactical and positional opportunities.
€39.90
We use cookies and comparable technologies to provide certain functions, to improve the user experience and to offer interest-oriented content. Depending on their intended use, analysis cookies and marketing cookies may be used in addition to technically required cookies. Here you can make detailed settings or revoke your consent (if necessary partially) with effect for the future. Further information can be found in our data protection declaration.
Pop-up for detailed settings
We use cookies and comparable technologies to provide certain functions, to improve the user experience and to offer interest-oriented content. Depending on their intended use, cookies may be used in addition to technically required cookies, analysis cookies and marketing cookies. You can decide which cookies to use by selecting the appropriate options below. Please note that your selection may affect the functionality of the service. Further information can be found in our privacy policy.
Technically required cookies
Technically required cookies: so that you can navigate and use the basic functions and store preferences.
Analysis Cookies
To help us determine how visitors interact with our website to improve the user experience.
Marketing-Cookies
To help us offer and evaluate relevant content and interesting and appropriate advertisement.