Like so many viewers I was totally enthralled by the 7 episode series on Netflix, Queen’s Gambit. From all accounts, the producers were utterly shocked at the universally widespread appeal of not only the niche traditional chess audience (the target for the series), but for an audience of millions of new/casual (at best), chess players, and then as the word spread, tens of millions of non-chess players around the globe. In short, the world was “hooked”.
According to the star of the show, the actress who portrayed the title character Beth Harmon, Anna Taylor-Joy,
who admitted in interviews that prior to the series that “she had never played chess before”, season 2 was the furthest thought from anyone’s mind involved with the initial production. From the start, Queen’s Gambit was meant to be a “one-off”. Walter Tevis (1928-1984) was the author of the book “Queen’s Gambit”. Tevis also wrote the short stories that were the basis for major motion picture blockbusters: “The Hustler”, “The Color of Money” and the “Man Who Fell To Earth”. From what I have read, only limited creative rights were purchased by Netflix that did not extend to a sequel season. For whatever reason, the right’s for a sequel to the Netflix series produced in 2020, thirty-six years after the author’s death, have not been finalized. Bruce Pandolfini who served as a consultant for the book published in 1983, as well as the 2020 Netflix production, is highly credited along with others for the extremely realistic and accurate chess positions depicted.
Netflix has created a season 2 trailer which is quite awesome indeed. But beyond that airing, I have seen or heard of little hope for an actual season 2. An absolutely wonderful and creative trailer it is too. Scott Frank, the
producer of Queen’s gambit in interviews has stated that as the complete story has been told, there is not really
much more to tell. It is hard to imagine the series ending at one year, for myself, anyhow. According to Netflix,
62 MILLION households watched the series in its first 28 days of release-a network record for a limited release.
But will there be a season 2? I for one hope so as nearly EVERYONE I have spoke with about chess has asked me
the same question "what do you think of the ‘Queen’s Gambit’, the series, of course!! I think it would be very fair to state that this one limited chess miniseries has attracted more new interest in chess since the rise of the great
Bobby Fischer to world dominance. It would be a shame not to fan these flames of passion for the game we love.
What?? Don’t you want to find out what happened in those skittles games she played in the park at the end of season 1? 
Bill Smythe
I choose not to use Netflix, so I haven’t seen The Queens Gambit, and to be honest I don’t really have much interest in seeing it. I did subscribe to the Cubs games on MLB this year, but about the time I signed up was when they fell apart, so it was kind of a downer season. Otherwise, of all the streaming opportunities I’ve heard about in the past two years, the only one that has even interested me a little is the upcoming Muppets movie.
Mike I think that says a lot about your taste - generally good!
Whenever someone finds out that I’m a chessplayer, their first question is “Have you seen Queen’s Gambit?” And I have to answer no. I don’t have (or want) Netflix; nor do I have (or want) cable TV. I do have a TV, but I only use it to watch the occasional DVD, and the last time I did that was months ago. When I’m at home, my primary recreational activities are reading and listening to music. Video is seductive, but (at least in my experience) rarely worth the time it consumes. I avoid the temptation by not having cable or Netflix. I do have hundreds of books and thousands of CDs.
I don’t have Netflix, and I rarely watch TV. I did watch the Queen’s Gambit series when I was at my son’s house last Christmas.
For those who dislike video, I recommend the book. Actually, I recommend the book even if you already watched the video series.
They used to ask if you’d ever met Bobby Fischer, so I guess this is an improvement.
Ha! Fischer and I did play in a common tournament – the Western Open in Milwaukee. But he played it in 1957, when I was 2 years old, and I played it in 1986, 1987, and 1994, long after he had stopped playing (except for the one-off 1992 match with Spassky). I also remember reading his column in Boy’s Life when I was a Boy Scout back in the late 1960s. But I never came close to meeting him. The most famous players that I’ve personally played (not counting simuls) are Awonder Liang and Hans Niemann – but they weren’t famous yet when I played them.
I, too, have the Western Open in common with Bobby Fischer, but (like you) not in the same years. Mine are a little earlier than yours, though – late 1960’s, early 1970’s, and maybe a few more since then.
I think I lost to him too, when he was about 9 years old.
Bill Smythe