Queens Gambit and Netflix

Discuss anything you like about chess related matters in this forum.
Post Reply
Geoff Chandler
Posts: 3484
Joined: Mon Jul 06, 2009 1:36 pm
Location: Under Cover
Contact:

Queens Gambit and Netflix

Post by Geoff Chandler » Wed Nov 11, 2020 2:59 pm

How does Netflix work, I do not have it for there lays the path to doom, sloth and piracy.

Do the programmes there eventually filter down to normal T.V.

Not that I'm am too over excited about 'Queen's Gambit', it appears I'm one of the few who did not get on with the book.
I am very picky what I read. Mostly Sci-Fi but the first sign of gooey mush then it's dropped into a charity shop.

Though knowing how films and T.V. mangle books to suit their numb audience (or planning an unwritten sequel)
we end up with the book title and that is it. People bumped off in the book often survive the film.
(Jaws, Jurassic Park, etc and in 'Misery' James Caan's feet survive!)

Had a roam about the net looking for a kindred spirit who too thought it was a 'Mills and Boon' effort with chess as a back drop.

Edward Winter! (good company) https://www.chesshistory.com/winter/extra/fiction.html

Though he appears to go for the technical errors where as I grant authors a lot of leeway regarding chess. if the story is
OK and the mush kept to a minimum then I'll skip past the chess errors. I'm reading a book, not marking an exam paper.

(but if they have a picture of a chessboard on the cover round the wrong way then I will howl like a wounded animal.)

Re cap:
How does Netflix work, do the programmes there eventually filter down to normal T.V.

User avatar
Matt Mackenzie
Posts: 5191
Joined: Tue Mar 31, 2009 11:51 pm
Location: Millom, Cumbria

Re: Queens Gambit and Netflix

Post by Matt Mackenzie » Wed Nov 11, 2020 3:02 pm

I note in that article that Winter genuinely did seem to like The Dragon Variation, though.
"Set up your attacks so that when the fire is out, it isn't out!" (H N Pillsbury)

Roger de Coverly
Posts: 21291
Joined: Tue Apr 15, 2008 2:51 pm

Re: Queens Gambit and Netflix

Post by Roger de Coverly » Wed Nov 11, 2020 3:34 pm

Geoff Chandler wrote:
Wed Nov 11, 2020 2:59 pm
How does Netflix work, do the programmes there eventually filter down to normal T.V.
You pay £ X a month which gives you the right to watch their extensive back catalogue over the internet. That can be on your TV if you have a gadget to connect to the internet either in your TV or attached to it. Otherwise you can use a PC, tablet or smart phone.

Some programmes on Netflix are ex-TV, repeats in other words. It's possible for Netflix shows to turn up on regular TV. It would depend on a TV network being willing to buy and Netflix willing to sell.

User avatar
Joey Stewart
Posts: 1857
Joined: Wed Apr 11, 2007 2:35 pm
Location: All Of Them
Contact:

Re: Queens Gambit and Netflix

Post by Joey Stewart » Wed Nov 11, 2020 4:05 pm

It's possible Netflix might sell it on dvd but it's not like the old days where you would have a set route of cinema - sky - video shop - TV.
Netflix has such a huge wealth of content anyway you'll find the price of admission easily worth the money, and if you look for discount codes you'll more then likely find some sort of free introductory offer if you really want to see Queens gambit without spending any money
Lose one queen and it is a disaster, Lose 1000 queens and it is just a statistic.

Wadih Khoury
Posts: 604
Joined: Sun Jul 12, 2020 8:14 pm

Re: Queens Gambit and Netflix

Post by Wadih Khoury » Wed Nov 11, 2020 4:12 pm

For those interested, there is even an analysis of the last game of the series here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oIMaTKOZG-8

Interesting to see that they merged an existing and very interesting game and took it then in a different direction.

User avatar
Joey Stewart
Posts: 1857
Joined: Wed Apr 11, 2007 2:35 pm
Location: All Of Them
Contact:

Re: Queens Gambit and Netflix

Post by Joey Stewart » Wed Nov 11, 2020 4:36 pm

It's a really great game by both sides, and the embellishments they added improve things even further - I'm sure ivanchuck would have been proud that his have was chosen.
Lose one queen and it is a disaster, Lose 1000 queens and it is just a statistic.

Geoff Chandler
Posts: 3484
Joined: Mon Jul 06, 2009 1:36 pm
Location: Under Cover
Contact:

Re: Queens Gambit and Netflix

Post by Geoff Chandler » Wed Nov 11, 2020 4:44 pm

Thanks Boys,

The pretty girl at work girl who gave me a surprise gift of 'Pawn Sacrifice' from Netflix on a USB stick has gone.
Since no other USB stick has been forthcoming I can safely assume everyone else at work either hates me or does not have Netflix.

and 'You pay £ X a month...' sounds like a con. You agree on one thing and get screwed in the small print.

I can honestly get by without out it, I'd never get anything done if I had another channel, I'd feel I have
to watch it because I am paying '£ X a month' for it. Radio 4 and R4 Extra is where you will usually find me.

Does it follow the book (which I could not finish - charity shop fodder or dumped on a bus along with the free Metros)

Just noticed, Neil Berry (ex team captain who I bumped into prior to the 2015 Scottish Championship and told him
he would win this as the rest of them of not really all that good, the same opinion I have for everyone BTW - He won it!)

He too has been asking is Netflix any good. I'll tell him it's great (no small print con) and he will invite me in to watch it!

Hang on, lock down rules. OK he leaves his house and lets me in to watch it alone. Sorted!

User avatar
JustinHorton
Posts: 10364
Joined: Mon Aug 04, 2008 10:06 am
Location: Somewhere you're not

Re: Queens Gambit and Netflix

Post by JustinHorton » Wed Nov 11, 2020 5:03 pm

Geoff Chandler wrote:
Wed Nov 11, 2020 4:44 pm
Thanks Boys,

The pretty girl at work
This is a series about a woman working in a man's world, Geoff, yeah?
"Do you play chess?"
"Yes, but I prefer a game with a better chance of cheating."

lostontime.blogspot.com

Geoff Chandler
Posts: 3484
Joined: Mon Jul 06, 2009 1:36 pm
Location: Under Cover
Contact:

Re: Queens Gambit and Netflix

Post by Geoff Chandler » Wed Nov 11, 2020 5:49 pm

Hi Justin,

What can I say,

She's a girl, she's pretty, I worked beside her. She is also crazy - goes to these comic conventions dressed up a female super hero,
or was the last one an anti-hero...she was all green with a sword, but more importantly, she laughed at my jokes....yes definitely crazy.
Knew I liked chess, so gave me 'Pawn Sacrifice'. I in turn gave her a pile of super hero comics from my mate who runs a comic shop.
It's nice to be nice. (and I did not grass her up for using an office USB stick.)

User avatar
JustinHorton
Posts: 10364
Joined: Mon Aug 04, 2008 10:06 am
Location: Somewhere you're not

Re: Queens Gambit and Netflix

Post by JustinHorton » Wed Nov 11, 2020 5:51 pm

Embarrassing, Geoff
"Do you play chess?"
"Yes, but I prefer a game with a better chance of cheating."

lostontime.blogspot.com

Geoff Chandler
Posts: 3484
Joined: Mon Jul 06, 2009 1:36 pm
Location: Under Cover
Contact:

Re: Queens Gambit and Netflix

Post by Geoff Chandler » Wed Nov 11, 2020 6:01 pm

"Embarrassing, Geoff"

Why, do you think I should her grassed on her for using an office USB stick?

Geoff Chandler
Posts: 3484
Joined: Mon Jul 06, 2009 1:36 pm
Location: Under Cover
Contact:

Re: Queens Gambit and Netflix

Post by Geoff Chandler » Thu Nov 12, 2020 1:40 pm

I have found a guy who thinks the series and book were great. Claims to have read the book 20 times.

(obviously a slight exaggeration, outside of chess books I rarely pick up a book again once I've read it.
Catch 22, Three Men in a Boat, and The Ascent Of Rum Doodle I've read twice/thrice. but he seems to like it.)

So I went onto the Netflix site. Mrs C said 'No!' and I agreed.

Think I'll side-step this one. If I get a chance I'll watch it but won't go out of my way to see it.

User avatar
MJMcCready
Posts: 3140
Joined: Mon Jun 24, 2013 2:30 pm

Re: Queens Gambit and Netflix

Post by MJMcCready » Sat Nov 14, 2020 4:31 pm

Geoff Chandler wrote:
Thu Nov 12, 2020 1:40 pm
I have found a guy who thinks the series and book were great. Claims to have read the book 20 times.

(obviously a slight exaggeration, outside of chess books I rarely pick up a book again once I've read it.
Catch 22, Three Men in a Boat, and The Ascent Of Rum Doodle I've read twice/thrice. but he seems to like it.)

So I went onto the Netflix site. Mrs C said 'No!' and I agreed.

Think I'll side-step this one. If I get a chance I'll watch it but won't go out of my way to see it.
May I suggest watching paint dry instead? I hear there's a series on it in production. Preferable to The Queen's Gambit. I had to have two goes at watching it and stopped not being able to believe anyone who plays chess could bear watching it. I can't imagine how that can be possible. I think we can safely say the Americans aren't exactly the most cultured bunch on the planet. I might be better if they stuck to scenes with cars crashing through windows, gun fights and things being blown up rather cultured activities.

Martin Crichton
Posts: 301
Joined: Tue Jul 21, 2009 3:25 pm

Re: Queens Gambit and Netflix

Post by Martin Crichton » Sat Nov 14, 2020 4:39 pm

I missed this thread..I should have posted here:

re the "Queens Gamit netflix series"

it is only 7-8 episodes and I watched over 2 nights. I really enjoyed it. It is currently no.1 in the UK on netflix which means it appeals to a wide audience.

best chess series ever made IMO.

The quality of the chess games were excellent. My only negative comment from a chess perspective (and I stand to be corrected) concerns the chess clocks that were used in the early episodes where Ms. Harman was playing in the U.S. schools competitions and local chess tournaments in the sixties.....the clocks looked like ones used in the UK (anyway) in the 80's and 90's. The last episode with the tournament "the Russian invitation event" certainly seemed to have the authentic period chess clocks, the ones with the lower push handles on each side (I have one of these antique clocks at home) and I understand these were the ones in use in the UK in the 70's.

ps that Borgov guy looks like he would beat Carlsen 9 times out of 10
Member of "the strongest amateur chess club in London" (Cavendish)

my views are not representative of any clubs or organisations.

User avatar
MJMcCready
Posts: 3140
Joined: Mon Jun 24, 2013 2:30 pm

Re: Queens Gambit and Netflix

Post by MJMcCready » Sat Nov 14, 2020 4:56 pm

Please don't take it personally but its almost impossible for me to believe you mean all that but then films and tv series about chess are almost always absolute rubbish, or if not then complete rubbish, or if slightly better then a load of bo**ocks...apologies in advance for the cynicism but cinematic outcomes on chess should be documentaries but then a lot of them are shite.

Post Reply