Queen’s Gambit credited with renewed interest in chess

A PORTARLINGTON chess club facilitator is accrediting a spike of interest in the game to Netflix series The Queen’s Gambit.

Released in 2020, the television miniseries is based on Walter Tevis’s 1983 novel of the same name and follows the life of a fictional chess prodigy on her rise to the top of the chess world.

Facilitator of Portarlington’s chess club Stan Rusiniak said he’s seen an increase in people wanting to join local clubs, including women.

“They have enjoyed playing their first game online or have recently bought a new chess board and are keen to learn more about the game,”
he said.

Actively involved with three of the Bellarine’s prominent chess groups, Mr Rusiniak said friends have contacted him or his fellow’s chess players with a newfound enthusiasm and questions about chess and the chess group’s activities.

“We have all been delighted by the show’s success,” Ralph Wright of the Ocean Grove Chess group said.

The Queen’s Gambit – which refers to a centuries-old opening move of the game – has been internationally credited with elevating chess board sales and drawing people online to play, particularly during the pandemic.

Google Trends data reveals people searching for “chess” doubled after the series was released in 2020 and leading online playing platform chess.com reported daily active players jumped from 1.3 million in March 2020 to more than 3.1 million in under a year.

All the Bellarine chess clubs are open and welcoming new members, giving them the opportunity to learn more about the game that has been played in various forms for more than
1,000 years.

“Even expressing an interest in the game can be beneficial to people young and old,” Hugh Peters of the St Leonards Chess group said.

“Chess is a wonderful way to improve your concentration, patience, memory, and creativity.”