Who symbolizes Beth Harmon?

Disclaimer: May contain spoilers.

Introduction

Chess has seen a surge in popularity ever since The Queen's Gambit was released on Netflix in late October 2020. There have been multiple reports of chess sets selling out and a significant increase in the amount of people Googling "how to play chess."

Above figure depicts the sudden spur for the popularity of chess after the release of the Netflix series "The Queen's Gambit"

The Queen's Gambit was a commercial and critical success because, in part, to the combination of a rags-to-riches story, the aesthetic of the 1960s, and great acting from the lead actress, Anya Taylor-Joy, as well as from other cast members. But what about the main character, the mercurial Beth Harmon, who spent her childhood in an orphanage and learned how to play chess from the janitor, with whom she would later try to sneak away and play the game? Was she only a fictitious fabrication or was she based on a real person who had similar traits, such as a preoccupation with mastering the game and triumphing against the odds, success as a lone wolf, and existing in a world dominated by men?

"The Queen's Gambit" actor Anya Taylor-Joy's depiction on what it takes to play a role as the start character

Is the story told in The Queen's Gambit based on genuine events, and if so, who is the chess equivalent of Beth Harmon?

Bobby Fischer and Beth Harmon

Beth Harmon was born in 1948, five years after Bobby Fischer, she was unable to meet her biological father. After her mother is killed in a car accident, the child is given up for adoption and placed in an orphanage. Fischer also did not know his biological father, and despite the fact that she lived until her mid-eighties, his mother was not there in his life very often while he was a child. Joan, Bobby's older sister, was the one who introduced him to the game of chess, provided him with a chess set, and later accompanied him to competitions held in other countries.

Is Beth Harmon really the female Bobby Fischer?

Beth Harmon is an avid reader who has been known to consume all of the chess books that she can get her hands on, beginning with a copy of Modern Chess Openings that was given to her as a present. When her buddy delivers her a stack of books to study, she tells him that she has already read the vast majority of them. Later on, Beth studies Russian in order to advance her career and uses the language to snoop on her competitors as they are competing in a tournament.

In a similar vein, Bobby Fischer learnt Russian so that he could gain knowledge from the vast body of literature written in that language. Mikhail Tal asked Bobby what he thought of the current crop of female chess players while they were both competing in an international tournament. Mikhail Tal was taken aback when Bobby started giving his opinion on a number of players that were thought to be unknown outside of the USSR. Bobby's answer stunned Mikhail Tal. Fischer was aware of them through the Soviet chess periodicals that he had read.

It appeared as though Bobby had read all there was to read about chess, including historical literature written by Howard Staunton and Wilhelm Steinitz. Through the examination of these texts, he was able to unearth little-known opening ideas, such as 9. Nh3 in the Italian Game/Giuoco Piano.

Fischer revives Steinitz's 73-year-old 9. Nh3. The move was awful before Fischer used it to beat Bisguier. Steinitz lost the game he played it in.

Bobby Fischer, 14, was the youngest US chess champion. Teenage Beth won the national title. Bobby, Gata Kamsky (17), and Hikaru Nakamura (17) are the only younger champions. Beth's attention is currently focused on Vasily Borgov, whereas Bobby Fischer amassed a total of five Soviet World Championships during his lifetime. Both are seen as the best chance the West has of defeating "the Russians" (Botvinnik, Tal, Smyslov, Petrosian, and Spassky).

A familiar rivalry

Nevertheless, the character of Vasily Borgov in The Queen's Gambit, which can be seen on Netflix, is considered to have been influenced by Boris Spassky, not the least of which because of the parallels between the games played by Fischer and Borgov.

The Russian who played a role in The Queen's Gambit; Boris Spassky is known to have provided some inspiration for this work.

Beth, who is easily frightened, comes up on the losing end of their first encounter with Borgov. It is well known that Fischer was defeated by Spassky in their very first game when he played Black against Boris' King's Gambit. We don't know for sure whether Bobby was shaken by his opponent, but it's safe to say he wasn't anticipating his opponent to play 2.f4!

Boris Spassky

In the last round of the Moscow Invitational, Beth will compete against Borgov for the very last time. She enters this match against her adversary having never won a game against them, exactly as Fischer did against Spassky in their 1972 World Championship matchup. Beth deviates from her standard opening repertoire by playing a Queen's Gambit, which takes Borgov by surprise. In the legendary Game 6, Fischer also sprang an opening surprise by choosing 1.c4 instead of his customary 1.e4 and moving to a... Queen's Gambit!

When Beth wins, Borgov joins the crowd in giving her a standing ovation; this is similar to what Spassky did for Fischer after Game 6 when he gave Fischer a standing ovation. It is also important to note that an adjournment occurred during the game between Harmon and Borgov, and that Boris relinquished his world championship following an adjournment in Game 21 of the match between Fischer and Spassky.

What's on the ceiling?

In terms of age, upbringing, and accomplishments, it is difficult to argue against Bobby Fischer being Beth Harmon's influence. However, there are other aspects of her existence that differ from Bobby's. The first is Beth's dependence on tranquillizers. This is a result of the author's drug dependence following a heart procedure. Tevis went on to develop alcohol issues, which Beth also acquired. Walter Tevis admitted that watching his character overcome these habits was therapeutic for him.

Beth Harmon plays chess on the ceiling at a younger age (in her own vision of course!)

These tranquillizers cause Beth to see chess on the ceiling of her bedroom. She visualises the board, the pieces, and her actions, with the implication that this mental preparation makes her a better player. Many skilled players are capable of visualising the board and analysing positions in their heads, which may appear outlandish to some. It is unknown if Beth's visions were the result of her intrinsic talent, the tranquillizers, or a mix of the two, but she is hardly exceptional.

World Champion Magnus Carlsen admits he analyses chess moves even when talking. He beat all 10 of his blinded opponents in simultaneous demonstrations and recalled the games move by move. This is typical in top-level chess.

GM Hikaru Nakamura looking at the ceiling

This is possibly the real-world scenario that most closely parallels the hallucinations and visions that Beth goes through in the Netflix show The Queen's Gambit.

Gender Issue

Even while gender inequality is still a problem in today's society, it was far more severe sixty years ago. The Queen's Gambit was an attempt in literature to strike a balance between the two sides. "Beth is an admirable person because of her boldness and intelligence. Tevis stated in an interview that in the past many women were forced to hide their intelligence; however, this is no longer the case. Therefore, it is time to take a look at the women who broke down boundaries for future generations by crashing into a world dominated by males and becoming pioneers in their fields.

Vera Menchik

Vera Menchik was the first woman to have a significant effect on the world of chess. She was a Russian grandmaster. Vera's family relocated to England when she was 15 years old. She was born in what is now the Czech Republic. It was a happy coincidence that they moved to Hastings, which happens to be the location of a well-known chess club as well as the annual chess conference. Both of these events take place every year. She went on to compete in the Hastings Congress over the course of the subsequent few years and triumphed in two unofficial matches against the British Ladies' Champion, Edith Price. As a result, she surpassed Edith Price in the eyes of the general public as the most talented female player in the nation.

Menchik went on to dominate the women's game for the remainder of her tragically short life, winning the first Women's World Chess Championship and the next six as well, with an astonishing 94% score. Menchik's life was cut cruelly short, but she went on to dominate the women's game till the end (W78, D4, L1). Vera Menchik was not only able to compete against the luminaries of the day but also alongside them. In the 1929 Ramsgate team event, Vera Menchik was a member of the same team as Rubenstein and Capablanca.

Menchik vs A top GM

Queen of the 60s

In 1962, Nona became the first person to win the Women's World Championship after defeating the previous champion 9-2. Gaprindashvili was successful in defending her title four times throughout the course of her 16-year reign as champion. In the game known as The Queen's Gambit, Nona is specifically referenced by name, and one of the players makes the false assertion that she did not compete against males. Nona Gaprindashvili, on the other hand, participated often in challenging chess competitions and even tied with Paul Keres in the Hastings 1964/65 event, despite playing black in the game. However, she was unsuccessful in her attempt to defeat a world champion. That requires that we take a look at one more significant actor.

Nona Gaprindashvili was the strongest female player in the 60s

The strongest female player of all time

With a top rating of 2735 Elo and a peak ranking of number 8 in the world, Judit Polgar is considered to be the most talented female chess player in the history of the game. This position was achieved by Judit on the FIDE list in July 2005, placing her higher than competitors including as Levon Aronian and Boris Gelfand. The fact that only two other women, Maia Chiburdanidze and Hou Yifan, have ever gotten themselves into the top 100 player list highlights the magnitude of this accomplishment. When it comes to defeating World Champions, Judit Polgar more than equals Beth Harmon. She has defeated seven of the classical champions in either regular or quick time controls. Judit has been victorious over several notable chess players, including Magnus Carlsen, Vishy Anand, Vladimir Kramnik, Garry Kasparov, Anatoly Karpov, Boris Spassky, and Vasily Smyslov.

Judit Polgar

Although The Queen's Gambit was published before Judit Polgar became a member of the global elite, no one before or since Beth Harmon has come close to matching her accomplishment as a woman who beat men at "their" game.

Conclusion

Therefore, despite the fact that The Queen's Gambit is not based on a true tale, it does an excellent job of remaining authentic to the highs, lows, and quirks of competitive chess. As a result, the character of Beth Harmon is even more credible. When it comes to the identity of the actual Beth Harmon, it is very obvious that Bobby Fischer played a significant role in the conception of the protagonist that Walter Tevis came up with. But Judit Polgar was the one who made the fantasy a reality when she won the tournament. The fact that The Queen's Gambit has reignited people's interest in chess and gotten them talking about the game is ultimately something to be thankful for. Long may it continue.