The Queen's Gambit

Dear fellow readers,

It has been a while and I have been preoccupied with writing my book. I'm probably slightly behind television series fanatics in watching "The Queen's Gambit". It was quite a thrilling and exhilaratingly intense short series. I literally watched all seven episodes yesterday. If you have not seen this series yet, do not read ahead. Spoilers alert! A worthy recommended watch.

Emma Harmon's story went from emotionally tear-jerking to worldwide phenomena. It starts telling you the story about how she became orphaned at nine and becomes a worldwide sensation at playing chess. But her life isn't as dandy as it seems, she becomes addicted to drinking and getting high on Xanzolam, a tranquilizer pill that keeps the children in the institution calm. It somehow allows her to use her mind in full capacity at night during bedtime to strategize how to play chess on the ceiling. Her relationships with her love interests were brief encounters but romance and sex were not her pursuits. And the young men left her because of her addictive habits and they were concerned for her health and future.

One can say, perhaps it may be her past experience from observing her biological mother being abandoned before taking a suicidal car accident, leaving Emma all alone. And then witnessing her adoptive mother and her being abandoned by her adoptive father who presumably was on 'business trips' as he claims. Even though her mother was supportive of her chess pursuits, encouraged her drinking habits. Emma became addicted from her first sip of a cocktail on a plane.

Even as she becomes a prodigy at such a young age, learning from a janitor from the institution and fast-tracked to being a worldwide phenomenon in beating a Russian world champion, Borgov. She was a natural with chess playing but not so great with connecting with people or finding a proper career. Although that said, her prowess gives her a slight advantage in meeting and making new friends. I couldn't help feeling sorry for this young woman. But in the end, she made better choices and the story seems to gesture towards an alcoholic and drug-free future.

All in all, I certainly enjoyed the series even though chess isn't really my type of pursuit. I give this series, four stars. The intensity of the series keeps you at the edge of your seat and curious to see more. Emma Harmon is quite an interesting character and you will want to keep revealing more of her story as you watch.

Until next time... ciao!