alluding to the queen piece representing Beth, a fun fact is that in the final scene, when Beth goes to the park where the old men are playing chess, she's dressed all in white, complete with a white hat that makes her look like the queen chess piece.
@@ThomasFlight The character’s clothing has some themes during the series. She starts in her school uniform as a pawn. Later she mostly has mono-color outfits at the beginning of matches. Later the outfits that probably match pieces like the Bishop. All of this leads to the final queen outfit.
@@richardharrington9528 also the outfit we see her at the beginning has the same color scheme of the pills she takes, the Paris tournament is where she succumbs to her addiction and loses the most for it, not only the tournament, but Benny and a lot of people close to her, the outfit symbolizes how she has been overtaken by her addiction. The costume designer of the show did in general a fantastic job
that's why Anya Taylor Joe is so brilliant for the show. Her movement, expression, eye movement, perfectly deliver the emotion and tension to the audience.
This show was filmed perfectly, i have to say, i didnt expect to like it...but i couldnt stop watching. Great writing, great cinematography, editing, acting and music. Its close to a perfect show.
It was perfect, other than her not paying mr shaibel back, or either of them visiting one another imo. Definitely a superb series and will be hard to be outdone by any series
It's interesting because the chess scenes could easily have been something you'd want to fast-forward through, and yet they were some of the most exciting and hype parts of the series, and had a great feeling of anticipation building up to them.
@@mja4752 i guess you haven't seen that much chess in general. Chess can be played at extremely fast speeds by top players. Also, you would think that it would be better for the show to skip past the long periods of time spent thinking about the moves themselves in classical chess. We as the viewer barely see the clock so we don't know the real amount of time spent on the moves.
I loved the way the show handled the chess scenes. Specifically the US championship. That part with multiple scenes happening between Beth and Benny, both beating their opponents. And then in the finals between Beth and Benny, it shows a single move of the game, then instantly cuts to then discussing Beth's win.
3:48 Her handshake also betrays her annoyance. She grips his hand for the bare minimum of time. Contrast this with the good firm handshake she gives Borgov in Paris, despite feeling pressured and seriously hung over.
The show always use hands very well; at 8:25 you can see him dragging the piece while he was so quick befpre, indicating just how unsure he was about his own moves from that point onwards.
Her handshake is perfectly in accordance with her annoyance in my view. She is annoyed at Harry's lateness and thus also annoyed at having to shake hands with a person who was late.
If you enjoyed Queen's Gambit, you might like one of my all-time favorite films: The Hustler (1961). While it's a very different story, both are based on Walter Tavis novels, and both stories deal with a talented person who's competing against others, but who's true struggle ultimately lies within themselves.
@@luismarioguerrerosanchez4747 the movie had very little to do with book other than pool and Fast Eddie. In the book the Tom Cruz character is just another opponent.
Great breakdown. During the chess scenes what came to my mind is that the showrunner, Scott Frank, has a famous fondness for westerns (with the Tv show Godless and the film Logan being his most famous works, both inspired heavily on classic westerns) and the chess in Queens Gambit is staged a bit like a dramatic Mexican standoff (long silences, close ups, action & reaction to minutae). In some ways Scott Frank is the perfect man for chess then: a man of silences and reactions. Edit: shit I lost the Thomas flight seal of approval when fixing a grammar error. God damn it.
@Flickspoo Showrunner is the head writer of a tv show and usually its chief creative figure. Scott Frank was a screenwriter in Logan (alongside Michael Green and James Mangold).
Queen's Gambit is definitely the best miniseries I've seen in a while. it made something like chess seem interesting and exciting for people who have no idea how to play it
I cried a lot during this series. I am adopted and did live in an Romanian orphanage until I was 5 (which was old then). Really connected to this series because I made a friend who is 68 his name is Tito he lives 4 doors next door. I am now 26 and was moved by this film. Also I am currently playing a guy at chess online from the Czech Republic :)
Hi Al, I also had to cry, especially during the scene when Beth was back in the cellar after Mr. Shaibel had died. If you like to have a match you can challange me on lichess. My account is "varnz" and I'm not too strong.
Hi there, thanks for sharing! I also live in the Czech Republic. Let me know if you want to play chess one of these days. We can do it online though :)
That's the kind of analysis of Queen's Gambit I've been looking for. Actually I would gladly watch the whole series the third time with commentary like that, great job!
ATJ’s performance in this scene was so good. When that subtlest little glint of a tear begins to form at the base of her eye right before she excused herself to the bathroom, I actually gasped a little - it’s so strange and unnerving to see Beth Harmon actually shaken.
That is such a good catch. Just goes to show how intimately connected with her character she was. Apparently the scene where she sheds a tear after losing to Borkov in Paris were natural tears as well! When you combine a great actor with a perfectly fitted role, you get on-screen magic :)
@@Duenschissdoktor Pretty sure most of them were trying to be professional, but one of the opponents did walk out in a huff without shaking Beth's hand.
In the final scene when Beth is in the car and the government man telling her what to do and handing her speaking points , Beth is not going to be played as a pawn . Shes a queen and gets out right there .
Yes, she IS the Queen and she's lost the fear of Russians because she had seen the fans in front of the hotel and the reaction of Borgov when he lost the match. Chess is and will keep an international language ; even more than any other sports. Her walk to the old chess playing men in the park is the message of the series: Let us be ONE planet, ONE mankind, besides all difficulties and differences we have; we're all human beings! And the second one to everybody is: Don't forget your Mr. Shaibel, otherwise you'll regret.
Just like Chess players and Non-Chess Players in the show enjoyed seeing Beth play Chess. We, the viewers, Chess players and Non-Chess Players still enjoyed seeing Beth play Chess. That is how the well-done the matches are made.
lmao bitch plz, The Last of Us 2 is better written than this sh*t. No joke, it's actually really good written. People got salty because one character died. It certantly can teach one or two things about subtlety to queen's gambit. Don't @ me
Beth isn’t addicted to a drug that makes her good at chess, she is a chess prodigy with a drug addiction. This is proven by the fact that she wins the final tournament completely sober. Also, the drug poorly affects her game in Paris. To attribute her talent to the drug cheapens the complex and nuanced character that is Beth Harmon.
I never attribute her talent to the drug. The show asks the question of whether she relies on the drug to create drama. Beth believes she needs the drug to play- as is shown in the scene I show, and the show leaves the question of whether she does in the minds of the audience to create suspense and conflict. That conflict and suspense are resolved at the end of the show when we learn she can play the game without the drug, but that's why it's a triumphant climactic moment, because until that moment we, and Beth herself- does not know if she can. I'm pretty clear on this in the video that this question is left hanging and we won't find out until the end of the show- which I didn't want to spoil for people.
@@ThomasFlight nah tranquilizers can never help you play. She's an addict. The moment she gets nervous, she feels the same as she would in withdrawal. Taking the tranquilizer calms her down. I get that the drug is fictional. Cause there is no drug that can help you play chess lol.
I never assumed Beltik didn't take the game seriously. Previous scenes show him watching her crush her way through all her opponents. Beltik is clearly doing this specifically to get her off her game. He is worried he might not win and is going for "physiological" approach against someone who is young and inexperienced. I'd say he was taking her insanely seriously and is putting on an act to try to get an advantage.
The drug isn't to enhance her cognitive ability, it is to calm her nerves. Just like any other endeavour that uses brain power, focus and nerve of steel make you do better.
@@akiraakiraakiraakira She's addicted to the drugs, so naturally not taking them results into withdrawal symptoms, including loss of focus and nervousness.
If your nerves are reducing your ability to perform (make cognitive decisions) and you take a drug that calms your nerves, then you've taken a drug that has enhanced your cognition... I don't think there's anything wrong with that, but it's true.
Fascinating! Watching it, my first thought was “So much conflict and so little dialogue.” There was something subtly excellent about it but I am so grateful you put it into words!
I've been stunned by the ability of this series to communicate so much just trough actions and I've been trying to figure it out by myself but I didn't catch so many things!, This video helped me a lot, thank you so much!
Anya Taylor Joy just zonked me out of my chair in this scene. Her acting ability to shift from irritation to frustration to paralyzing fear to self defeat then finally dominance is incredible.
Ugh, I couldn't agree more. I was caught by surprise by how phenomenal it was. I know nothing about Chess but I competed in game tournaments. So, being able to relate to the competitive aspect plus the incredible acting, cinematography and writing sealed this show in as one of my favorites of all time.
This show was such an awesome watch. I binged it the day it came out because I WANTED to keep watching. Sometimes Netflix has some real winners (but only sometimes)
Great breakdown. I absolutely loved this show! One small thing, the drug - Librium - is real and is taken for a calming effect so while it does seem to aid her play, it does so more by alleviating nerves than anything else.
Anya Taylor-Joy's shift in demeanor and Harry Melling's look that conveys Beltik's understanding that he's toast, is a quick, wordless exchange that is an absolute masterclass in acting.
I gotta say, the cinematography in the show was near perfect, I adore good cinematography because it conveys something that you should know but so subtly that you don't even notice unless you try to notice. The Queen's Gambit was a great surprise and the cinematography was one of my favorite things done right in the show with other things like the chess matches, score and setting. It's great and I'm sad and happy at the same time that it's not longer.
Anya Taylor Joy's performance is amazing in this scene. Going from her tense composure during the first half of the game, where we can feel her start to unravel in nerves, to how freaking smooth every single movement she does seems to be after returning from the bathroom. And I'm pretty sure that Harry knows he rattles Beth's nerves at first and does it on purpose - showing up late, being casual, yawning constantly. It's psychological manipulation of your opponent and it does it's job pretty good.
Queen's Gambit is awesome and I was so amazed by the fact that it made playing chess - which as you point out is not a cinematic game - look so nail-biting thrilling. (Everyone I tell about the show is always like "It's all about chess? That sounds boring." until they watch it an get hooked like me.) I really enjoyed how the whole show is edited and this scene breakdown of yours helped me a lot to understand what actually makes it that exciting. Great work! I love watching your videos, they are always so enlightenig. :D
same here. i don't play chess and i don't find the game too interesting. i only clicked on the show because it was no.1 on the top 10 list, but it's definitely one of my best decisions because it's one of the best showed i've ever watched.
@8:06 before going to the bathroom she is wearing a blue sweater almost protectively around her. @8:07 she comes back and she ain't wearing the sweater. She no longer needs its protection and comfort.
I was waiting for a video like this about the series I don't know a lot about this subject, so I can't give a critical review. So I'm just going to say that I very much enjoyed it
What a cool scene :) The anime March comes in like a lion also has this problem. It's about a professional Shogi (similar game to chess) player. It's incredible how interesting a scene about a game that I don't understand can be made.
I didn't hear this show until my mother watched the pliot and told me it's a good show. I watched a few and realized it's way better in the same vein as Pawn Sacrifice.
The emotions on their face is a reflection of what is going on the board. That is where the action is taking place. Not in the dynamics between the two. When Beth returns to the board, the confidence on her face has nothing to do with a faceoff. She had found a way out of her predicament and already had mapped out in her had a path to win the game.
The execution of these scenes and episodes is very mesmerizing and very jigsaw puzzle like, the camera work, music, Rhythm, and acting all fit together perfectly to tell such a nuanced story. A fantastic series.
Wow. I knew that every choice was deliberate and that something extraordinary was going on, but you just told me how. Thank you so much! Honestly I would watch you break down every chess game she plays like this, or at least every big important one.
The Queens Gambit is a great advert for Chess especially for girls and non Chess players. The story line is based on the American, Bobby Fischer who famously only played 1 e4 before winning Game 6 in the 1972 World Championship with The Queens Gambit against the Champion, Boris Spassky from Russia in which he sportingly congratulated Bobby on a great game and was considered the best game of the Championships. Bobby Fischer was a Chess prodigy and at 14 years old won the United States Championships. The one trait that is incorrect is substance abuse as I have never come across that from any Chess player of any ability being that it would effect their game negatively. I thought your performance was excellent in which the chess games were from those played by past Masters. Adjourning a game did occur in the 1972 World Championship for which they are no longer used for many years since the development of chess engines and players playing shorter games to a finish.
Really interesting interpretation of the tranquilizers. Unsure if it's explained in the novel or not. My first reading was that Beth uses a normal, real world sedative like her adoptive mother does. I suppose I assumed Beth may have had some preexisting need (maybe inherited from her biological mother), or a dependency created at the orphanage. But I didn't think for a second that the drugs were necessarily performance enhancing on their own, nor a magic pill that makes you see chess pieces on the ceiling for a second- I thought that overcoming the identity of a "high functioning" and "exceptional" addict was the plot of the series.
I haven't read the book. But to me the series pretty clearly links her use of the drug and her chess visualizations. (They only happen when she takes it- SPOILERS- until the very end, which is a climactic resolution of conflict. It's revealed that she's able to "visualize" things on the ceiling without the drug.) My reading is that she would have been great at chess anyway, but the conflict is lies in her lacking the confidence in her ability without the drug. She doesn't need it to play chess- but she thinks she does. And she triumphs at the end by realizing she doesn't need it. Her drinking and drug use are absolutely also tied to her past trauma- I think she starts out using it for those reasons, and that plays a big role in her ongoing dependence. But because of the way she using the drug, she associates the use with her success- which become the core of her internal conflict.
@@ThomasFlight I had the feeling she needs the drugs to calm her mind and "tranquillise" her thoughts. Only with a clear mind is she able to visualise the chess board in her head/on the ceiling. So she does need them in the beginning, to get out of her own head. At the end of the series she has come to terms with her past, realised she has a family she can count on and isn't alone anymore. She's able to think clearly without needing the pills and therefore doesn't need them anymore.
@@ThomasFlight I disagree. My take away from where the habit started in Ep.1 and where it ends in Ep.7 is that the drug was a placebo, a psychosomatic crutch, a mistake that started with the orphanage giving kids librium, how those pills made her feel and her discovery of chess for the first time. She associated being able to visualise the board and pieces in the shadows with the taking of the pills, but she never needed the pills, it was something her remarkable mind could do all along regardless. She was a kid, didn't know any better and linked the two as cause and effect and it took her many years to reconcile this, realising it at the end when she played Borgov.
Yes, great analysis. In addition, Anya Taylor-Joy with red hair in a hime style is one of the most aesthetically pleasing things it is possible to put on film, at this time in history. Comparable to Audrey Hepburn at her peak in BaT, honestly.
Well done. Thank you for an excellent analysis. Including the actual real game that was used in the scene was a nice touch. You showed me things I hadn't thought of even though I'm a reasonably good chess player. Makes me really appreciate the talent of those who direct and edit and write dialog, including facial expressions. Again, thank you.
This is a fascinating breakdown. I am not a chess player, i barely know the rules but i was still super immersed in the chess scenes, super anxious and filled with adrenaline. This was a really really well done show
A GREAT analysis, thank you. But it would have been nice to actually mention the name of the director, Scott Frank, who CHOSE those angles and supervised the cinematography and editing.
Excellent analysis -- You taught and showed me a lot in 11 minutes! Thank you. When I watch Queen's Gambit again (and Lord knows I'm going to) I'll see it with new eyes. You're the man.
I like it when Anna Taylor puck her lips when she's feeling frustrated and challenged. And that "cute little girl" gaze when she's about to get defeated. It is shown for a split second because she's back at her poker, stoic face again
it's such a great show in every aspect, I watched it twice in a week. Just feels so good when you binge a great show like this. I was completely absorbed in her world.
Need I point out that the game itself.. ANY GAME, never matters... It's the people we want to watch, love, hate,emulate, and use as examples of what not to do.
The drug is Librium (in the book). It is like valium. It doesn't really enhance performance, except that it relieves anxiety and (as you say) allows one to use their natural abilities without the interference of an overactive mind. In the screen play, the drug is called "Xanzolan" (like a cross between xanax and alprazolam). I thought it was interesting the way the drug was portrayed in a mythical fashion (like Popeye and spinach or Alice with magic mushrooms).🙃✌👽🌎
Great breakdown. Don't know if you like anime, but "March comes in like a lion" portrays shogi (Japanese chess) in a beautiful way. The character development and the art they use to ilustrate shogi I think it's outstanding, specially during the matches.
Beth is not taking a fake drug. She is taking Benzodiazepines, which is used for panic attacks and acute anxiety. To some, this causes a clear focused mind. Meanwhile, to others, this causes only some sedation and tranquility. In other words, the drug just restored her confidence.
Its really accurate when focusing in what's felt in the game. I'm a club player, and really catches the psychological tension between the players disputing a serious match. It also catches the cocky attitude of many players; the best chess production ever made. The only inaccuracy is that any other chess player in history has been able to become the world's chess champion so fast; anyway, I liked it a lot
alluding to the queen piece representing Beth, a fun fact is that in the final scene, when Beth goes to the park where the old men are playing chess, she's dressed all in white, complete with a white hat that makes her look like the queen chess piece.
Oh you're totally right!
@@ThomasFlight The character’s clothing has some themes during the series. She starts in her school uniform as a pawn. Later she mostly has mono-color outfits at the beginning of matches. Later the outfits that probably match pieces like the Bishop. All of this leads to the final queen outfit.
@@richardharrington9528 also the outfit we see her at the beginning has the same color scheme of the pills she takes, the Paris tournament is where she succumbs to her addiction and loses the most for it, not only the tournament, but Benny and a lot of people close to her, the outfit symbolizes how she has been overtaken by her addiction. The costume designer of the show did in general a fantastic job
@@carolinashoemaker5938 and it takes a pawn 7 squares to promote to a queen, hence the 7 episodes
Right? I thought I was the only one to notice that
that's why Anya Taylor Joe is so brilliant for the show. Her movement, expression, eye movement, perfectly deliver the emotion and tension to the audience.
If she doesn't receive an award for this show, it would be a joke her acting is brilliant
Anya Taylor Joy
This show was filmed perfectly, i have to say, i didnt expect to like it...but i couldnt stop watching. Great writing, great cinematography, editing, acting and music. Its close to a perfect show.
It was perfect, other than her not paying mr shaibel back, or either of them visiting one another imo. Definitely a superb series and will be hard to be outdone by any series
yeah I thought how can it be interesting its chess its going to be boring, how wrong was I . I watched all 6h 33min In one sitting lol
@@markjordan7800 me tooo
100% agree
Yes. And don't forget the chess. Each game carefully chosen by two of the best who have ever played. Sublime.
It's interesting because the chess scenes could easily have been something you'd want to fast-forward through, and yet they were some of the most exciting and hype parts of the series, and had a great feeling of anticipation building up to them.
i have never seen chess played that fast - the chess scenes are really terrible
@@mja4752 i guess you haven't seen that much chess in general. Chess can be played at extremely fast speeds by top players. Also, you would think that it would be better for the show to skip past the long periods of time spent thinking about the moves themselves in classical chess. We as the viewer barely see the clock so we don't know the real amount of time spent on the moves.
@@mja4752 there is a thing called speed chess that uses turn timers.
I loved the way the show handled the chess scenes. Specifically the US championship. That part with multiple scenes happening between Beth and Benny, both beating their opponents. And then in the finals between Beth and Benny, it shows a single move of the game, then instantly cuts to then discussing Beth's win.
@@mja4752 I don't understand the link between never seeing something and thinking that it's terrible.
3:48 Her handshake also betrays her annoyance. She grips his hand for the bare minimum of time. Contrast this with the good firm handshake she gives Borgov in Paris, despite feeling pressured and seriously hung over.
The show always use hands very well; at 8:25 you can see him dragging the piece while he was so quick befpre, indicating just how unsure he was about his own moves from that point onwards.
Her handshake is perfectly in accordance with her annoyance in my view. She is annoyed at Harry's lateness and thus also annoyed at having to shake hands with a person who was late.
Im pretty sure you mean portray instead of betray right?
@@MagicalCipher o shit i didnt think of this, yea he probably meant that, would make much more sense
@@MagicalCipher No, betray's the right word.
everybody gangsta until the chess pieces start appearing on the ceiling
the key to beating Beth Harmon is to play her outside.
@@PackerBronco No, that would allow her to contact the chess gods!
@@PackerBronco or blindfolded!
if ur blindfolded, you can't see the ceiling, and thus you can't make alpha zero plays
@@pluggothesluggo5509 Well... She played a game without seeing the board and chess pieces didn't appear on the wall so...
Really thoughtful breakdown as always.
chese
cheese
chessey
If you enjoyed Queen's Gambit, you might like one of my all-time favorite films: The Hustler (1961). While it's a very different story, both are based on Walter Tavis novels, and both stories deal with a talented person who's competing against others, but who's true struggle ultimately lies within themselves.
Not to mention it has a sequel directed by Martin Scorsese which earned Paul Newman's first Academy Award win. I want to watch them both.
@@luismarioguerrerosanchez4747 the movie had very little to do with book other than pool and Fast Eddie. In the book the Tom Cruz character is just another opponent.
Great breakdown. During the chess scenes what came to my mind is that the showrunner, Scott Frank, has a famous fondness for westerns (with the Tv show Godless and the film Logan being his most famous works, both inspired heavily on classic westerns) and the chess in Queens Gambit is staged a bit like a dramatic Mexican standoff (long silences, close ups, action & reaction to minutae). In some ways Scott Frank is the perfect man for chess then: a man of silences and reactions.
Edit: shit I lost the Thomas flight seal of approval when fixing a grammar error. God damn it.
It's back haha. This is a great perspective :)
@@ThomasFlight haha. There we go! Thanks for the great videos.
@Flickspoo Showrunner is the head writer of a tv show and usually its chief creative figure. Scott Frank was a screenwriter in Logan (alongside Michael Green and James Mangold).
Queen's Gambit is definitely the best miniseries I've seen in a while. it made something like chess seem interesting and exciting for people who have no idea how to play it
I cried a lot during this series. I am adopted and did live in an Romanian orphanage until I was 5 (which was old then). Really connected to this series because I made a friend who is 68 his name is Tito he lives 4 doors next door. I am now 26 and was moved by this film. Also I am currently playing a guy at chess online from the Czech Republic :)
wow :))
Czech republic!! Finally someone, who writes it's correct name ❤ Thank you.
No worry sister,you will get all the love and respect you deserve, Life is beautiful,
Hi Al, I also had to cry, especially during the scene when Beth was back in the cellar after Mr. Shaibel had died. If you like to have a match you can challange me on lichess. My account is "varnz" and I'm not too strong.
Hi there, thanks for sharing! I also live in the Czech Republic. Let me know if you want to play chess one of these days. We can do it online though :)
That's the kind of analysis of Queen's Gambit I've been looking for. Actually I would gladly watch the whole series the third time with commentary like that, great job!
Yes.
Yes, best video analysis I've seen on UA-cam
ATJ’s performance in this scene was so good. When that subtlest little glint of a tear begins to form at the base of her eye right before she excused herself to the bathroom, I actually gasped a little - it’s so strange and unnerving to see Beth Harmon actually shaken.
Anya have a great career ahead of her; she's able to convey so much without being over the top.... truly one of the best younger actresses.
the only thing i didn't like is that no one that lost to her actually got really upset
That is such a good catch. Just goes to show how intimately connected with her character she was. Apparently the scene where she sheds a tear after losing to Borkov in Paris were natural tears as well! When you combine a great actor with a perfectly fitted role, you get on-screen magic :)
@@Duenschissdoktor Pretty sure most of them were trying to be professional, but one of the opponents did walk out in a huff without shaking Beth's hand.
@@Duenschissdoktor one of the dudes who lost to Beth in the final tournament in Moscow was a very poor sport.
In the final scene when Beth is in the car and the government man telling her what to do and handing her speaking points , Beth is not going to be played as a pawn . Shes a queen and gets out right there .
Exactly! Even when she had doubt in herself she wasn't allowing herself to become a pawn for the religious group either.
Yes, she IS the Queen and she's lost the fear of Russians because she had seen the fans in front of the hotel and the reaction of Borgov when he lost the match. Chess is and will keep an international language ; even more than any other sports. Her walk to the old chess playing men in the park is the message of the series: Let us be ONE planet, ONE mankind, besides all difficulties and differences we have; we're all human beings! And the second one to everybody is: Don't forget your Mr. Shaibel, otherwise you'll regret.
Yes, I'm sure she'll enjoy great freedom in the Soviet Union.
Just like Chess players and Non-Chess Players in the show enjoyed seeing Beth play Chess.
We, the viewers, Chess players and Non-Chess Players still enjoyed seeing Beth play Chess.
That is how the well-done the matches are made.
I totally agree!!!!
Hell yeah, thought you might be allured to this great series. Great videos.
Not enough people use the word "Allured". Thank you
The best show of 2020
FACTS
Chekmate
Hands down
What about “I know this much it’s truth”?
lmao bitch plz, The Last of Us 2 is better written than this sh*t. No joke, it's actually really good written. People got salty because one character died. It certantly can teach one or two things about subtlety to queen's gambit. Don't @ me
Beth isn’t addicted to a drug that makes her good at chess, she is a chess prodigy with a drug addiction. This is proven by the fact that she wins the final tournament completely sober. Also, the drug poorly affects her game in Paris. To attribute her talent to the drug cheapens the complex and nuanced character that is Beth Harmon.
I never attribute her talent to the drug. The show asks the question of whether she relies on the drug to create drama. Beth believes she needs the drug to play- as is shown in the scene I show, and the show leaves the question of whether she does in the minds of the audience to create suspense and conflict. That conflict and suspense are resolved at the end of the show when we learn she can play the game without the drug, but that's why it's a triumphant climactic moment, because until that moment we, and Beth herself- does not know if she can. I'm pretty clear on this in the video that this question is left hanging and we won't find out until the end of the show- which I didn't want to spoil for people.
@@ThomasFlight nah tranquilizers can never help you play. She's an addict. The moment she gets nervous, she feels the same as she would in withdrawal. Taking the tranquilizer calms her down. I get that the drug is fictional. Cause there is no drug that can help you play chess lol.
@@Sam-qv8dq "Cause there is no drug that can help you play chess"
Well, maybe Adderall XD
She can still rely on the drug even if it doesn’t directly help chess simply because she’s an addict.
@@ThomasFlight Yes, you made this clear.
I never assumed Beltik didn't take the game seriously. Previous scenes show him watching her crush her way through all her opponents. Beltik is clearly doing this specifically to get her off her game. He is worried he might not win and is going for "physiological" approach against someone who is young and inexperienced. I'd say he was taking her insanely seriously and is putting on an act to try to get an advantage.
The drug isn't to enhance her cognitive ability, it is to calm her nerves. Just like any other endeavour that uses brain power, focus and nerve of steel make you do better.
you are contradicting yourself
@@akiraakiraakiraakira She's addicted to the drugs, so naturally not taking them results into withdrawal symptoms, including loss of focus and nervousness.
@@akiraakiraakiraakira calming the nerves isn't increasing cognitive ability, i don't see any contradiction.
If your nerves are reducing your ability to perform (make cognitive decisions) and you take a drug that calms your nerves, then you've taken a drug that has enhanced your cognition... I don't think there's anything wrong with that, but it's true.
@@ThomasFlight 100 percent factual. Helping her focus helps with her decision making which In this case is cognitive.
Fascinating! Watching it, my first thought was “So much conflict and so little dialogue.” There was something subtly excellent about it but I am so grateful you put it into words!
9:28 “The queen defeating the king.” I actually didn’t catch that at first, amazing analysis 👏
I've been stunned by the ability of this series to communicate so much just trough actions and I've been trying to figure it out by myself but I didn't catch so many things!, This video helped me a lot, thank you so much!
Anya Taylor Joy just zonked me out of my chair in this scene. Her acting ability to shift from irritation to frustration to paralyzing fear to self defeat then finally dominance is incredible.
Nice breakdown. The storytelling in Queens Gambit is so solid that I was surprised that it wasn't based on a real life story.
Please do a breakdown like this of every game in the series. This is seriously so fascinating to watch and you broke it down so well.
Queen's Gambit is a masterpiece on so many levels
Ugh, I couldn't agree more. I was caught by surprise by how phenomenal it was. I know nothing about Chess but I competed in game tournaments. So, being able to relate to the competitive aspect plus the incredible acting, cinematography and writing sealed this show in as one of my favorites of all time.
This show was such an awesome watch. I binged it the day it came out because I WANTED to keep watching. Sometimes Netflix has some real winners (but only sometimes)
The OK & shitty stuff earns them the money to make the winners.
Great breakdown. I absolutely loved this show! One small thing, the drug - Librium - is real and is taken for a calming effect so while it does seem to aid her play, it does so more by alleviating nerves than anything else.
Anya Taylor-Joy's shift in demeanor and Harry Melling's look that conveys Beltik's understanding that he's toast, is a quick, wordless exchange that is an absolute masterclass in acting.
I gotta say, the cinematography in the show was near perfect, I adore good cinematography because it conveys something that you should know but so subtly that you don't even notice unless you try to notice. The Queen's Gambit was a great surprise and the cinematography was one of my favorite things done right in the show with other things like the chess matches, score and setting. It's great and I'm sad and happy at the same time that it's not longer.
Anya Taylor Joy's performance is amazing in this scene. Going from her tense composure during the first half of the game, where we can feel her start to unravel in nerves, to how freaking smooth every single movement she does seems to be after returning from the bathroom.
And I'm pretty sure that Harry knows he rattles Beth's nerves at first and does it on purpose - showing up late, being casual, yawning constantly. It's psychological manipulation of your opponent and it does it's job pretty good.
Queen's Gambit is awesome and I was so amazed by the fact that it made playing chess - which as you point out is not a cinematic game - look so nail-biting thrilling. (Everyone I tell about the show is always like "It's all about chess? That sounds boring." until they watch it an get hooked like me.) I really enjoyed how the whole show is edited and this scene breakdown of yours helped me a lot to understand what actually makes it that exciting. Great work!
I love watching your videos, they are always so enlightenig. :D
same here. i don't play chess and i don't find the game too interesting. i only clicked on the show because it was no.1 on the top 10 list, but it's definitely one of my best decisions because it's one of the best showed i've ever watched.
I agree
Believe if you understand chess deaply you will be addicted to it.
@8:06 before going to the bathroom she is wearing a blue sweater almost protectively around her.
@8:07 she comes back and she ain't wearing the sweater. She no longer needs its protection and comfort.
I was waiting for a video like this about the series
I don't know a lot about this subject, so I can't give a critical review. So I'm just going to say that I very much enjoyed it
Best show released during the pandemic ✨
now that's masterful filmmaking and a superb analysis. brava.
This series is so good! Thank you for taking the time to do a video about it!
My favorite sequence is definitely the Classical Gas sequence: the montage of the US Championship in Ohio. Absolutely brilliant.
The framing on each of the squares on the board is incredible.
What a cool scene :)
The anime March comes in like a lion also has this problem. It's about a professional Shogi (similar game to chess) player. It's incredible how interesting a scene about a game that I don't understand can be made.
I didn't hear this show until my mother watched the pliot and told me it's a good show. I watched a few and realized it's way better in the same vein as Pawn Sacrifice.
The emotions on their face is a reflection of what is going on the board. That is where the action is taking place. Not in the dynamics between the two. When Beth returns to the board, the confidence on her face has nothing to do with a faceoff. She had found a way out of her predicament and already had mapped out in her had a path to win the game.
The execution of these scenes and episodes is very mesmerizing and very jigsaw puzzle like, the camera work, music, Rhythm, and acting all fit together perfectly to tell such a nuanced story. A fantastic series.
Excellent analysis!
Wow. I knew that every choice was deliberate and that something extraordinary was going on, but you just told me how. Thank you so much! Honestly I would watch you break down every chess game she plays like this, or at least every big important one.
Nice breakdown man, loved that show !!
The Queens Gambit is a great advert for Chess especially for girls and non Chess players. The story line is based on the American, Bobby Fischer who famously only played 1 e4 before winning Game 6 in the 1972 World Championship with The Queens Gambit against the Champion, Boris Spassky from Russia in which he sportingly congratulated Bobby on a great game and was considered the best game of the Championships. Bobby Fischer was a Chess prodigy and at 14 years old won the United States Championships.
The one trait that is incorrect is substance abuse as I have never come across that from any Chess player of any ability being that it would effect their game negatively. I thought your performance was excellent in which the chess games were from those played by past Masters. Adjourning a game did occur in the 1972 World Championship for which they are no longer used for many years since the development of chess engines and players playing shorter games to a finish.
its not easy to edit the essay explaining the great edits, nice work!!
Really interesting interpretation of the tranquilizers. Unsure if it's explained in the novel or not. My first reading was that Beth uses a normal, real world sedative like her adoptive mother does. I suppose I assumed Beth may have had some preexisting need (maybe inherited from her biological mother), or a dependency created at the orphanage. But I didn't think for a second that the drugs were necessarily performance enhancing on their own, nor a magic pill that makes you see chess pieces on the ceiling for a second- I thought that overcoming the identity of a "high functioning" and "exceptional" addict was the plot of the series.
I haven't read the book. But to me the series pretty clearly links her use of the drug and her chess visualizations. (They only happen when she takes it- SPOILERS- until the very end, which is a climactic resolution of conflict. It's revealed that she's able to "visualize" things on the ceiling without the drug.) My reading is that she would have been great at chess anyway, but the conflict is lies in her lacking the confidence in her ability without the drug. She doesn't need it to play chess- but she thinks she does. And she triumphs at the end by realizing she doesn't need it. Her drinking and drug use are absolutely also tied to her past trauma- I think she starts out using it for those reasons, and that plays a big role in her ongoing dependence. But because of the way she using the drug, she associates the use with her success- which become the core of her internal conflict.
@@ThomasFlight I had the feeling she needs the drugs to calm her mind and "tranquillise" her thoughts. Only with a clear mind is she able to visualise the chess board in her head/on the ceiling. So she does need them in the beginning, to get out of her own head. At the end of the series she has come to terms with her past, realised she has a family she can count on and isn't alone anymore. She's able to think clearly without needing the pills and therefore doesn't need them anymore.
@@ThomasFlight I disagree. My take away from where the habit started in Ep.1 and where it ends in Ep.7 is that the drug was a placebo, a psychosomatic crutch, a mistake that started with the orphanage giving kids librium, how those pills made her feel and her discovery of chess for the first time. She associated being able to visualise the board and pieces in the shadows with the taking of the pills, but she never needed the pills, it was something her remarkable mind could do all along regardless. She was a kid, didn't know any better and linked the two as cause and effect and it took her many years to reconcile this, realising it at the end when she played Borgov.
BRILLIANT analysis I am shook.
Yes, great analysis. In addition, Anya Taylor-Joy with red hair in a hime style is one of the most aesthetically pleasing things it is possible to put on film, at this time in history. Comparable to Audrey Hepburn at her peak in BaT, honestly.
Well done. Thank you for an excellent analysis. Including the actual real game that was used in the scene was a nice touch. You showed me things I hadn't thought of even though I'm a reasonably good chess player. Makes me really appreciate the talent of those who direct and edit and write dialog, including facial expressions. Again, thank you.
This show is the proof that cinema isn't dead
Good post. I appreciate the cinematography analysis.
This is a fascinating breakdown. I am not a chess player, i barely know the rules but i was still super immersed in the chess scenes, super anxious and filled with adrenaline. This was a really really well done show
A GREAT analysis, thank you. But it would have been nice to actually mention the name of the director, Scott Frank, who CHOSE those angles and supervised the cinematography and editing.
Excellent analysis -- You taught and showed me a lot in 11 minutes! Thank you. When I watch Queen's Gambit again (and Lord knows I'm going to) I'll see it with new eyes. You're the man.
Just watched this series. I cant believe how glued to it i was. I never even played chess.
you just made me watch that series
Well damn, now I need to watch this show, thank you for the great video.
I like it when Anna Taylor puck her lips when she's feeling frustrated and challenged. And that "cute little girl" gaze when she's about to get defeated. It is shown for a split second because she's back at her poker, stoic face again
Just woow! Amazing details pointed out! Thank you sir!
I watched this episode last night and thought it would be a great scene for a video essay. Lo-and-behold, today the algorithm presents me this
Oh man I started late with the series. But goddamn I loved every second of it. And yeah Beth’s clothes are amazing
incredible show and really cool video man
His eyes are so narrow, her's s so far apart. lol
I seen that too! Her eye are so beautiful! And his are so mean!
thats what ive noticed during this scene when watching as well LOL
anime eyes
Glad I stumbled upon this, thanks UA-cam algorithm.
The best show ever.
This is so awesome.
I beg you now, to do them all (chessgames).
Wonderful dissection.
One of the best shows i've seen!
it's such a great show in every aspect, I watched it twice in a week. Just feels so good when you binge a great show like this. I was completely absorbed in her world.
Need I point out that the game itself.. ANY GAME, never matters... It's the people we want to watch, love, hate,emulate, and use as examples of what not to do.
The drug is Librium (in the book). It is like valium. It doesn't really enhance performance, except that it relieves anxiety and (as you say) allows one to use their natural abilities without the interference of an overactive mind.
In the screen play, the drug is called "Xanzolan" (like a cross between xanax and alprazolam).
I thought it was interesting the way the drug was portrayed in a mythical fashion (like Popeye and spinach or Alice with magic mushrooms).🙃✌👽🌎
in the movie, i felt it was more like LSD, and Beth, hallucinated, and saw Chess pieces move above her.
The moment she wins brings out all the emotions in you.
This is this most cinematic scene I have ever seen. I loved a woman named Beth. Thank you for this!.
This was a great video, thanks! I loved this show
What a great cast
This was hands down the best show I have seen sense GOT
I just became aware of "The Queens Gambit " It is brilliant and I can't get away from it . Ty Ty Ty
What a nice breakdown! Amazing explanation.
Wow 🤯 nice breakdown 🙂
nice and very accurate analysis
I just finished the show last night and was shocked by how much I enjoyed it. I didn't want to look away. Good stuff
Fantastic analysis.
Well done!
Awesome work about a great series! Thank you for your efforts
Great analysis, thank you!
Not sure what this video is about, I was distracted contemplating Anya
She has that unearthly kind of beauty...she doesn’t look real
@@myettechase She looks like an elf. (Edit: I mean that as a complement).
i just see Emma lol! love Anya
Great breakdown. Don't know if you like anime, but "March comes in like a lion" portrays shogi (Japanese chess) in a beautiful way. The character development and the art they use to ilustrate shogi I think it's outstanding, specially during the matches.
Thanks to this video I noticed how good the acting was. It surely must have been tough to film.
Love your videos!
fantastic as always. I'm now 100% convinced of whether to watch this show, now that you have made a video about it :D
This video made me watch The Queens Gambit..... Thank You.
I'm going to watch this whole series just for your breakdown, the first 2 episodes where impeccable, and I also love chess which makes it even better
Please do more videos on queens gambit
This was fascinating!!
Beth is not taking a fake drug. She is taking Benzodiazepines, which is used for panic attacks and acute anxiety. To some, this causes a clear focused mind. Meanwhile, to others, this causes only some sedation and tranquility. In other words, the drug just restored her confidence.
In the book, she doesn't take the drug in that bathroom scene, she just washes her face and neck
Its really accurate when focusing in what's felt in the game. I'm a club player, and really catches the psychological tension between the players disputing a serious match. It also catches the cocky attitude of many players; the best chess production ever made. The only inaccuracy is that any other chess player in history has been able to become the world's chess champion so fast; anyway, I liked it a lot