Bonus : After Watching the Queen's Gambit

Today, I took a break from grinding puzzles and reviewing blunder-filled games. Instead, I dove into the show that practically turned the world into temporary chess fans: The Queen’s Gambit. I wasn’t sure what to expect—hype has a way of ruining things—but by the end of the first episode, I was hooked. By the finale, I was inspired.

This post isn’t a review. It’s about what watching The Queen’s Gambit meant to me as someone chasing a very different kind of chess goal: hitting a 1000 rating on Chess.com.

I’m not aiming for world championships. I’m not Beth Harmon. But the emotional arc of the show—the obsession, the self-doubt, the joy of mastery—felt incredibly familiar.

What the Show Sparked

1. Reconnecting With the 'Why'

Chess is hard. There are days where it feels like I’m just banging my head against a wall of my own mistakes. Blunders in winning positions. Time trouble. Missing basic tactics. Improvement can feel invisible.

But watching Beth tear through the game—with that mix of elegance and fire—reminded me why I started this journey in the first place. It’s not about the number. It’s about progress. It’s about the feeling of making a move that’s not just “not bad,” but good. It’s about the moments when the board makes sense.

The show made me want to learn again—not just grind.

2. The Opening That Started It All

Of course, I had to look up the Queen’s Gambit opening itself. It’s not just a flashy title—it’s a real, solid weapon:
1.d4 d5 2.c4

I’ve been leaning heavily on the Ruy lopez, mainly for its diverse aspects. But now, I’m curious to experiment. The Queen’s Gambit opens the door to a more dynamic style of play. It challenges black to give up the center or accept a slightly cramped position. It’s like a subtle dare.

So, starting next week, I’ll be working it into my games. I’m not abandoning the Ruy Lopez yet—but I want to expand. Expect a future post titled something like “Queen’s Gambit: Movie Magic or Real Opening?”

3. Visualization is the Next Big Skill

Watching Beth analyze full games in her head—in reverse, upside-down, across ceilings—was more than just visually cool. It was a reminder of what real board awareness looks like. While I’m nowhere near that level, I’ve started to incorporate a very simple exercise:

Before making a move, I try to visualize what the board will look like two moves ahead: mine, then theirs.

This small habit is already helping me avoid some of my worst mistakes. It slows me down (in a good way) and makes my play more intentional. Maybe it’s not as cinematic as ceiling chess, but it’s a start.

4. Style and Confidence Matter

Beth’s play wasn’t just accurate—it was graceful. Calm, poised, and often quietly crushing. That stuck with me. I’ve noticed that when I’m nervous, I play sloppy chess: over-aggressive attacks, weird sacrifices, or completely ignoring threats because I hope they’ll miss something.

Watching her confidence—even under pressure—reminded me to trust my fundamentals. There’s value in clean, principled chess. I don’t want to win because someone blunders. I want to win because I played better.

Or at least, that’s the new goal.

Where This Leaves Me

I haven’t played as many games this week, but the motivation is back. Watching The Queen’s Gambit was more than entertainment—it refocused my journey.

Over the next couple of weeks, I’m planning to:

• Try out the Queen’s Gambit in live games and rapid

• Double down on visualization habits

• Review my games not just for mistakes, but for style

• And maybe, just maybe, upgrade my own chess "wardrobe" (kidding… kind of)

Improvement isn’t always linear. But sometimes, it helps to be reminded that progress—even in fiction—is always possible.

So no, I won’t be playing blindfolded anytime soon. But I will be playing with more purpose.

Onward.