How “The Queen’s Gambit” Put Chess Back on the Board

Netflix gave us one of the most attention-grabbing shows of 2020 with period drama The Queen’s Gambit. This series did an amazing job telling the story of a young female prodigy trying to rise through the ranks of the competitive chess world and it’s been credited for reinvigorating interest in chess around the world.

Viewership Numbers

The Queen’s Gambit effect wouldn’t be possible if this series wasn’t a huge hit with Netflix viewers. With 62 million households watching in its first 28 days, the critically acclaimed chess drama had the biggest opening for scripted limited series in Netflix history.

Internet Trail

There are several signs indicating that The Queen’s Gambit led to chess’s surge in popularity. Google searches for the words “how to play chess” hit a nine-year high, inquiries for chess sets are up 250% on eBay, and several chess learning platforms recorded a significant increase in new users since the series premiered.

Book Sales

The Queen’s Gambit drew comparisons to the life of the American chess superstar Bobby Fischer, but it’s purely fictional. It’s based on Walter Tevis’ 1983 novel of the same name, which returned on The New York Times bestseller list since the series premiere.