Current Events > The Queen's Gambit is really well done.

(+) Yeah! (+)

Ive never even played chess, but Im hooked. Awesome show.

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I always wanted to learn chess, but never could get anyone to play me as a kid...

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Eh the "chosen one protagonist can't fail" trope is strong

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But she does lose to big daddy Borgov

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BuckVanHammer posted...

I always wanted to learn chess, but never could get anyone to play me as a kid...

same tbh. I dont know if Ill ever try to learn or not, but it seems pretty enticing.

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I've heard it described as "if a James Bond movie were about chess," is that accurate?
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Hmm idk if thats accurate. Follows her upbringing, being an orphan, problems with substance abuse, adoptive family drama, etc.


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Watched the first episode, pretty good stuff

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lww99 posted...

But she does lose to big daddy Borgov

Only to make her later win bigger. So she didn't actually lose.

Also funny is the ending is her hating American and loving communist soviet era Russia.

Antifar posted...

I've heard it described as "if a James Bond movie were about chess," is that accurate?

No way lmao

Im surprised she survived her overdose

she was eating those pills like my dog does kibble lol.

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great show. loved every episode.

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It's ok, better than nothing.

Looks like I only have 3 episodes left, should finish tonight or tomorrow

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So in the end did she defect to communist Russia or what?

How TF did I not realize Benny Watts is BRANN from GOT.


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I've been recommended this a few times. But my fucking god does the trailer make it look dull.

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I wish I knew what all these strategies mean. Like you can definitely still enjoy the show without knowing shit about chess, but Im sure it would help.

like castling, they say that a lot.

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lww99 posted...

I wish I knew what all these strategies mean. Like you can definitely still enjoy the show without knowing shit about chess, but Im sure it would help.

like castling, they say that a lot.

It's a move most players learn early on. I'd suggest downloading chess.com's app if you're interested in learning chess. Lots of lessons, exercises, and lets you play people online. The biggest hurdle is learning how each piece can move on the board.

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__Fiale__ posted...

I've been recommended this a few times. But my fucking god does the trailer make it look dull.

Yeah the trailer turned me off too, but one of my friends kept talking about how much they enjoyed it so I gave it a chance. It's the best Netflix original to some out in a while.
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it is really good. still have a few eps left

love the interactions with her and her "mom"

Poop2 posted...

it is really good. still have a few eps left

love the interactions with her and her "mom"

so you think adoptive moms are fake moms and dont deserve to get called just mom without the quotation marks?

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Poop2 posted...

it is really good. still have a few eps left

love the interactions with her and her "mom"

definitely. You can tell she knows her mom is trying to take advantage, but thats the only viable way to make it to the tournaments. That, and she probably wants whatever kind of family she can get.

mom just passed, so lets see how badly it effects Beth.

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Colorahdo posted...

Eh the "chosen one protagonist can't fail" trope is strong

I disagree, this was my worry going into the show, that it would be too much like Rey in the new trilogy, but it wasnt like that too much.

She starts off only being good at chess because of drugs, she loses a few times, suffers a lot of hardship and depression, becomes an alcoholic. And it wasnt just a believe in yourself and you cant lose! If anything thats why she lost at first, she refused to learn. After she had a few mentors and took everything she learned (plus had all her friends plan out her strategy for the final game) was she able to beat the champion.

She doesnt really have any of the characteristics of a Mary Sue: she isnt unbeatable, she isnt very likeable, has a lot of character flaws, and has to actually learn things from people to get better.


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lww99 posted...

How TF did I not realize Benny Watts is BRANN from GOT.

Jojen, not Brann

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Oeoeo23 posted...

Jojen, not Brann

damnit, Ive been duped.

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BlazinBlue88 posted...

It's a move most players learn early on. I'd suggest downloading chess.com's app if you're interested in learning chess. Lots of lessons, exercises, and lets you play people online. The biggest hurdle is learning how each piece can move on the board.

You shouldn't have to download an app to make sense of a tv show


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Buu_88 posted...

You shouldn't have to download an app to make sense of a tv show

I didn't say that.....
I just told that guy if he wanted to learn chess then he could download that app.

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Benny Watts deserves a spinoff. What a cool mofo.

Good show. Still pissed She never paid Shaibel back.
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lilORANG posted...

Benny Watts deserves a spinoff. What a cool mofo.

Nah, hes a trench coat wearing gooberif anyone from the show deserves a spin-off its Jolene

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cuh posted...

Random but is it true that in chess you forfeit the game if you lose your queen? Does that just mean you cant lose both the queen and king?

(I dont know much about chess aside from math puzzles involving the knight, lol)

Not true. The Queen is worth a lot, but depending on the circumstances, does not necessarily mean you have no chance or even that you are losing.

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Captain_Qwark posted...

Watttttt

I was mistaken, its the other Druid kid from GOT.

lilORANG posted...

Benny Watts deserves a spinoff. What a cool mofo.

Good show. Still pissed She never paid Shaibel back.

Fair enough lol. It was cool to see that he kept up with her career over the years. And while she never actually she repaid him, she did make sure to let the press know he was her teacher.

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BuckVanHammer posted...

I always wanted to learn chess, but never could get anyone to play me as a kid...

I had some friends who were really into it. One was a casual from Russia. Another was an enthusiast from here (US). The enthusiast was pretty good, but they played several matches against each other and the Russian won all of them. It was actually kinda funny. I was never on the level of either of them though.

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Yeah I dunno how one can think she's something of a Mary Sue, when we see her lose badly with no excuse, despite being at the top of her form at the time. She constantly chases her friends and family away, is actually actively improving meaning she's not just straight up strong from beginning to the end, and has abusive habits and a terrible personality until she goes through her character arc.

Honestly it was almost frustrating just how flawed they actually made her because despite everything she does, she is ultimately beloved by the people she chased away as well as the world due to her feats alone

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cuh posted...

Random but is it true that in chess you forfeit the game if you lose your queen? Does that just mean you cant lose both the queen and king?

(I dont know much about chess aside from math puzzles involving the knight, lol)

It's true at the very highest levels of chess. There is no way a top ranked chess player could ever beat another top ranked chess player if they blunder their queen.

But if you're just playing a friend and you blunder your queen, then no because since they're most likely similarly skilled at chess as you are they can blunder their queen as well, or make other mistakes along the way that you can capitalize on.

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I may have been a bit unfair towards the show and dismissed it as some girl power nonsense, but its actually good?

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