Who is Benny Watts based on?

It turns out, Tevis had a model on which to base Watts: Bobby Fischer. A real-life child prodigy chess genius, by the time Fischer was a teenager, he was going up against Grandmasters three to four times his age, and beating them.

Who is Borgov based on?

Borgov's character is loosely based on GM Boris Spassky. Like Spassky, Borgov was a Russian chess prodigy who fulfilled his prophecy by becoming the world chess champion. Backed by the might of the Soviet Union and an army of seconds, Borgov is a seemingly invincible player over the chessboard.

Why does Benny Watts carry a knife?

He carries around a knife, according to Watts himself for self-defense purposes.

What is the age difference between Beth Harmon and Benny Watts?

Benny was a child prodigy at eight years old, competing in prominent international tournaments. When Beth first meets Benny at the U.S. Open, he is in his 20s while Beth is 16.

Is Queen's Gambit Based on a true story?

Is The Queen's Gambit Based On a True Story? No… but kind of. The character of Beth Harmon and her story is fictional. It came from the mind of writer Walter Tevis (1928 – 1984) way back in 1983 when the novel 'The Queen's Gambit' was first published.

Benny Watts Intriguing Beth Harmon for Five Minutes - Queen's Gambit

Is Beth Harmon autistic?

Beth Harmon (Anya Taylor-Joy), whilst not declared autistic, was heavily coded as such. And rather than playing into stereotypes (one can just imagine how a lazy interpretation of an autistic chess prodigy would come across), Taylor-Joy gives the role complex and dynamic layers.

What were the green pills in Queen's Gambit?

The white and green pills Beth takes in The Queen's Gambit are referred to as “xanzolam;” however, this is a fictional drug that is thought to represent tranquilizers like Librium, formally known as chlordiazepoxide, which was a popular drug in the 1960s for treating anxiety.

Why did Benny reject Beth?

Beth And Benny's Relationship Failure Explained

It's as much of a rejection of chess as it is a rejection of Benny and his fixation on Beth's chess playing instead of her whole self. Beth's choice clearly hurts Benny. In episode 7, "Endgame," she asks him to accompany her to her chess games in Russia.

Did Cleo and Beth sleep together?

So besides the fact that Cleo has slept in Beth's bed (without Beth sleeping next to her), there are no other proofs that would say that they had sex. Most likely, they got drunk, went to Beth's room, got drunk more and eventually passed out.

Is Beth a grandmaster?

Beth Harmon is a fictional character.

The Hungarian chess champion Judit Polgár could have done the trick, but she didn't become a Grandmaster until 1991. (Her sister, the Susan Polgar, received the title the same year.)

Was Mr. Shaibel at the end of Queen's Gambit?

At the end of the book, Beth learns that Mr. Shaibel died of a heart attack and attends his funeral with Jolene. Afterward, she takes a trip back to Methuen and discovers that Mr. Shaibel closely followed her career for years, putting up pictures and articles about her on the wall in the orphanage basement.

Who is the guy at the end of Queen's Gambit?

One of them recognises Beth and challenges her to a match before the end credits roll. The character, identified in the credits simply as 'Old Man', is played by Juozas Budraitis, a legendary Lithuanian stage and film actor known for his numerous roles in Lithuania and Russia.

Who did Beth Harmon end up with?

Harmon remains single at the end of the series (see Relationships).

Did Bobby Fischer ever lose?

In his eight US Chess Championships, Fischer lost only three games; to Edmar Mednis in the 1962/63 event, and in consecutive rounds to Samuel Reshevsky, and Robert Byrne in the 1965 championship, culminating in a total score of 74/90 (61 wins, 26 draws, 3 losses).

Who is the youngest GM in chess?

List of youngest grandmasters. Since 1950, when the Grandmaster (GM) title was introduced by FIDE, one measure of chess prodigies is the age at which they gain the GM title. Below are players who have held the record for the youngest grandmaster. The record is currently held by Abhimanyu Mishra.

Is Cleo KGB Queen's Gambit?

Proof That Cleo Was Working For The Russians In The Queen's Gambit. While the Cleo theory is largely circumstantial, there is one piece of evidence that indicates she was involved with the KGB.

Was Townes attracted to Beth?

The sexual tension is palpable between Beth and Townes in earlier scenes, but Townes is not bisexual, just (ugh) “a little confused.” His interest in her is platonic, yet he flies to the USSR to see and support and celebrate her — and she “kind of broke his heart.”

Does Jolene get adopted?

Jolene also becomes jealous when Beth is adopted, leading her to steal Beth's chess book out of spite. Later, Jolene and Beth reconnect when Beth is struggling with her addiction. Though she was never adopted, Jolene got a scholarship for volleyball, got a bachelor's degree, and is getting an M.S.

Why do they lie about Beth's age in Queen's Gambit?

Likely, the director was operating under the assumption that the Wheatleys wouldn't want an older child, so she lied about Beth's age; however, as Alma reveals later, she intentionally chose to adopt a teenager, having previously lost a child and (presumably) not wanting the additional responsibility required for ...

What are Beth Harmon's weaknesses?

Without a doubt, Beth's biggest weakness is her perfectionism. She simply cannot accept defeat, and while her persistence may be an admirable quality, stubbornness is not. When she loses, she goes on a severe downward spiral. Throughout the series, dealing with defeat is her biggest struggle.

Did Beth love her adoptive mother?

On the one hand, it is clear Beth loves her adoptive mother, but on the other, she does not relate to her at all. There are glimmers of genuine love from her adoptive mother as well, but there are also clear indicators of narcissism and exploitation of Beth's gift for chess.

How old was Townes when he met Beth?

Townes is a handsome chess player in his 20s whom Beth meets during the Kentucky State Championship. Beth likes him because he acknowledges her skill despite her young age and gender, unlike some of the other men at the tournament.

Is Xanzolam real?

While the name Xanzolam is fictional, the pill is clearly intended to be a stand-in for real-life benzodiazepines, tranquilizer drugs that act on the brain and central nervous system in order to reduce anxiety, soothe insomnia, and (ironically) treat withdrawal symptoms.

What was Beth addicted to in the Queen's Gambit?

Beth's addiction is well documented as we see her begin using tranquilizers at a young age in the first episode. She attributes her exceptional chess-playing abilities to the pills, admitting in later episodes that she thinks the cloudy feeling she experiences when under the influence is the reason why she wins.

What was she addicted to in the Queen's Gambit?

Beth impresses the chess club as well as many other high school students during the exhibition, and her dependence on the medication continues on. The last scene we see about Beth and her addiction to the tranquilizers is filled with desperation and clear signs of substance use disorder.