When she is sent to an orphanage at the age of eight, Beth Harmon soon discovers two ways to escape her surroundings : playing chess and taking the little green pills given to her and the other children to keep them subdued. Before long, it becomes apparent that hers is a prodigious talent, and as she progresses to the top of the US chess rankings she is able to forge a new life for herself. But she can never quite overcome her urge to self-destruct.
For Beth, there's more at stake than merely winning and losing. A modern classic, The Queen's Gambit is a powerful portrait of genius and addiction, success and survival.