The Queens Gambit

Beth Harmon discovers chess as a child and finds a form of concentration that makes more sense to her than much of ordinary life. Her talent opens doors, but success at the board does not automatically teach her how to manage the world around it.

Anya Taylor-Joy plays Beth through the main part of the story, with Bill Camp as Mr. Shaibel, the caretaker who introduces her to the game. Based on Walter Tevis's novel, this is a fictional story rather than the biography of a real chess champion.

I enjoyed the performances and the tension the series finds in watching people think. Its elegant presentation is part of the appeal, though the path through competitive chess is sometimes smoother and more compressed than I would have preferred.

The complete story is told in seven episodes. You do not need to know how to play chess to follow it; the people across the board do the important work. Read my full review.