The musical score was composed by Carlos Rafael Rivera. [29] Frank initially wanted the score to be piano-based only, but in the end decided with Rivera for a full orchestral score for more "instrumental depth and color". Rivera also described how he learned of the executive producer William Horberg's love of flute, and added prominent flute sections to the orchestral pieces. Rivera found scoring for chess a challenging task, having been warned by Frank that "music would be doing a lot of heavy lifting". He decided to reflect Beth's growth – both as a person and a chess player – by adding more and more instrumentation over time. [30] Reception [ edit ] Audience viewership [ edit ] Snierson, Dan (September 20, 2021). "Emmy Awards 2021: See the full list of winners". Entertainment Weekly . Retrieved September 20, 2021. Hartmann, John (October 23, 2020). "The Queen's Gambit – Out Today On Netflix!". Chess Life. Archived from the original on October 30, 2020 . Retrieved October 30, 2020. Watercutter, Angela (October 28, 2020). "Why The Queen's Gambit Is the No. 1 Netflix Show Right Now". Wired. Archived from the original on October 28, 2020 . Retrieved October 30, 2020. It’s understandable why The Queen’s Gambit launched a greater interest in chess. The series shows the importance of having a great mentor. Beth learns how to play from the janitor Mr. Shaibel ( Bill Camp), who shows his dedication to the game by quietly playing alone. The scenes between Shaibel and a nine-year-old Beth ( Isla Johnston) are the most heartwarming moments in the show’s emotional first episode. Although this series was showered with critical praise and acclaim, Camp’s name was surprisingly left off of the Emmy nominations list.

Menzel, Scott (July 8, 2021). "Ted Lasso, The Handmaid's Tale, and Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist lead Inaugural HCA TV Awards Nominations". Hollywood Critics Association . Retrieved July 11, 2021. Thomas Brodie-Sangster as Benny Watts, a brash young New Yorker who is the reigning United States Chess Champion, later Beth's mentor, lover and friend. Best Television Series, Limited or Miniseries or New Media Series – Best Period and/or Character Make-Up Powell, Steffan (August 29, 2023). "Netflix: Streamer's expansion into gaming is 'natural extension' ". BBC News . Retrieved August 30, 2023.

a b Miller, Sarah (December 1, 2020). "The Fatal Flaw of "The Queen's Gambit" ". The New Yorker . Retrieved May 19, 2021. The Queen's Gambit' filming in Cambridge for 2 days". Cambridge Times. August 22, 2019. Archived from the original on November 28, 2019 . Retrieved November 28, 2019. Peplow, Gemma (November 25, 2020). "The Queen's Gambit: Why is everyone suddenly talking about chess?". Sky News. Archived from the original on November 25, 2020 . Retrieved November 26, 2020. Marielle Heller as Alma Wheatley, who with her husband Allston adopts Beth as a young teenager and later acts as a manager for Beth's chess career. Alma's biological child died sometime before Beth's adoption, and she develops a worsening alcoholism that begins to influence Beth.

Production design and filming [ edit ] The interior of the Spandau Rathaus stood in for a hotel in Cincinnati, Ohio a b Horton, Adrian (November 26, 2020). "How The Queen's Gambit became Netflix's unlikeliest hit of the year". The Guardian. Archived from the original on November 26, 2020 . Retrieved November 26, 2020. Stewart, Sara (November 15, 2020). "Opinion: 'The Queen's Gambit' is the perfect escapist entertainment for the present moment". CNN. Archived from the original on November 14, 2020 . Retrieved November 15, 2020. Max Krause as Arthur Levertov, a grandmaster and friend of Benny's who assists Beth with her training.Netflix и игре в шахматы с мужчинами". BBC News Русская служба (in Russian). December 5, 2020. Archived from the original on December 5, 2020 . Retrieved December 6, 2020. The only problem, of course, is that Beth Harmon is a wholly fictional creation. The Queen's Gambit is based on a 1983 novel of the same name by Walter Tevis (a chess player himself), and follows a chess prodigy on her journey from orphanage to championships. The series' title is a nod to one of the chess moves that Beth learns along the way. Thorne, Will (March 19, 2019). "Anya Taylor-Joy to Star in 'The Queen's Gambit' Limited Series at Netflix". Variety. Archived from the original on May 2, 2019 . Retrieved July 21, 2019. Frank, though, seems thrilled with the finished product of the latest series he wrote and directed—and might not want to risk tarnishing it.