The Queen’s Gambit has taken the world by storm, sitting in Netflix’s top 10 in the United States for several weeks in a row. The seven-part series based on Walter Tevis' novel deals with feminism, childhood trauma, substance abuse issues, and, of course, chess. Actual chess lovers and professionals have lauded the series as impressively accurate, no doubt noting the time and attention director Scott Frank put into the details.
If you're not a chess player, there is still plenty to love about The Queen's Gambit. Beth's journey and storyline are riveting, but the terminology can be a little confusing at times. So, to clear things up, here are 10 important chess terms, moves, and openings from the series explained.
Castling
Castling is a special move in chess used to protect the King and put the Rook in a better position. It is also the only time a Rook can “jump over” other pieces. Castling is a basic chess term mentioned by Beth in the first episode and used frequently throughout the miniseries.
Grandmaster
A Grandmaster is the highest attainable title in chess. Vasily Borgov is a Soviet Grandmaster, World Chess Champion, and Beth’s toughest competition. Beth and her friends also often discuss the games and strategies of famous Grandmasters and the openings named after them.
Speed Chess
Also known as fast chess or blitz chess, speed chess is a normal game of chess with an extremely unforgiving time constraint, usually five minutes or less per player. The standard time control in a chess match is 90 minutes.
In the episode “Fork” Benny challenges Beth to several rounds of speed chess during their downtime at the US Open. He beats her in every round, but Beth is able to observe Benny and learn his strategy. She never loses to him again.
The Caro-Kann Defense
The Caro-Kann Defense is an opening used by Harry Beltik when he loses to Beth in the Kentucky State Championship. Benny Watts is also shown talking negatively about the Caro-Kann the first time Beth meets him. He remarks that it is, “all pawns and no hope.” The Caro-Kann uses the moves 1. e4 c6 to combat the King's pawn opening and is somewhat similar to the Sicilian Defense.
Fork
A Fork is a chess tactic used to attack two opponent’s pieces at once. It is often played using a Knight. In the image above, the White's Knight can take either the Rook or the King in its next move. "Fork" is also the name of the fifth episode of the series.
Draw
In chess, an opponent can offer a Draw, and the game will end with neither player winning nor losing. Refusing a draw becomes an important part of Beth’s play. In her first chess tournament, an opponent offers her a draw. Townes shakes his head behind him, and she refuses. In Beth’s final match with Borgov, he too offers a draw. When Beth refuses, she goes on the win the game.
The Marshall Attack
In the episode “Doubled Pawns,” Beth recounts to her mother that she played “The Marshall” in the U.S. Open. The Marshall is an advanced variation for Black of the Ruy Lopez opening. It is named after the American chess master Frank Marshall and has largely fallen out of use today
Adjournment/Sealing A Move
In chess, an adjournment is called when a chess match lasts over a certain amount of time, frequently the five-hour mark. The player whose turn it is must write down their next move and seal it in an envelope for the arbiter to keep until the game resumes the following day.
Beth experiences adjournment as she tackles more difficult opponents later in the miniseries. The first time an adjournment is shown is in the episode “Middle Game” in her match against the young Geriv.
The Sicilian Defense
The Sicilian Defense is a very popular defense used by Black against White’s opening. Beth learns this strategy from Mr. Sheibel, and it becomes something of a signature move for her. The Sicilian Defense is an aggressive opening, fitting well with Beth’s aggressive style of chess. There are several variations used in the series, such as the Rossolimo and the Najdorf.
The Queen’s Gambit
Of course, the namesake of the series is the most important chess term of all, the Queen’s Gambit is an opening in which a pawn is sacrificed by White in order to take control of the board. The opening has been metaphorically compared to Beth’s life,- tragic and full of loss, yet powerful and cunning. Beth plays the Queen's Gambit during her final match with Borgov in Moscow.