How the Queen's Gambit sparked a chess frenzy
The immense popularity of Netflix's most-watched scripted series has sparked an unprecedented interest in the game in India
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Image: Netflix
While browsing Netflix one evening, former Punjab chess champion Pahul Kaur Chabbra came across the mini-series The Queen’s Gambit. “It was fascinating to watch the trailer; a female-centric, chess-based show seemed interesting,” she says, ending up watching all seven episodes at one go. “It was captivating, and since I’ve played chess I could relate to Beth [the protagonist, played by actor Anya Taylor-Joy] and her struggles of trying to fit into a man’s world.”
Chabbra, a law student, stopped playing chess to focus on her studies. “Watching the show made me realise what I’m missing out. It’s such a powerful game, and it has shaped me as a person,” she says. The show's portrayal of chess convinced her to start playing again. “I’ve started playing online matches and eventually wish to resume playing tournaments. There is no game as fascinating as chess; it's an escape, a much-needed one in these times.”
The Queen’s Gambit has led to a sharp rise in interest in chess. Just like Chabbra, a number of people are now playing the game. For various chess websites, traffic and engagement levels are at an all-time high.
Based on a 1983 novel of the same name by Walter Travis, the bildungsroman is about chess prodigy Beth Harmon. Set in the US of the 1960s, the series shows the journey of the orphaned girl who becomes the world's greatest chess player while struggling with emotional problems and substance abuse.
Its depictions of concepts such as fighting-against-all-odds, women empowerment, and talent-triumphs-privilege have resonated globally. Since the release of the series on October 23, Google reported that searches for ‘chess’ are at their highest level in 14 years. Search volumes for 'How to play chess', according to Netflix, has hit a nine-year peak. The Queen’s Gambit has become Netflix’s most-watched scripted show ever, with a record 62 million households having watched it in the first 28 days, making it one of the top 10 in 92 countries and No 1 in 63 countries.
The series has led to an increased interest in chess in India. While the Covid-19 pandemic prompted people staying at home to try out the board game, the show led to increased conversations about it. “My friends have started calling me to ask about the various strategies and moves mentioned in the series. It’s interesting to see them being invested in chess like never before,” says Dushyant Sharma (17), a FIDE (International Chess Federation) Master. “While browsing social media, I recently saw a [Youtube] streamer talk about Among Us, PubG, and chess. It was great to see chess being as viral as PubG. I hope this trend continues even when the hype around the show dies out.”
