10 'The Queen's Gambit' Quotes That Deliver An Emotional Checkmate

"Chess isn't always competitive. Chess can also be beautiful. It was the board I noticed first. It's an entire world of just 64 squares. I feel safe in it. I can control it. I can dominate it. And it's predictable, so if I get hurt, I only have myself to blame." - Beth Harmon

This statement from Beth to the reporter from Life Magazine sums up why she falls in love with the sport. It's the place she feels safest and in control of her life, the one place she cannot be hurt without it being her own fault.

"My tranquility needs to be refurbished." - Alma Wheatley

Beth's substance use disorder beings at an early age, when she is still at the orphanage. But her reliance on "green pills" is furthered after she is semi-adopted by Alma, a lonely woman who takes her in as a companion. In the series, the pills, called Xanzolam, are probably a stand-in for chlordiazepoxide, which were popular during this era as "mother's little helpers." Beth's relationship with these pills is almost her undoing.

"The strongest person is the person who isn't scared to be alone." - Alice Harmon

Beth doesn't have many memories of her biological mom, but it seems pretty clear Alice Harmon was deeply troubled. When she says this line to a very young Beth in a flashback scene, the quote is full of sadness. It seems Beth took this advice to heart, as she went about most of her life as a loner.

"Would you like to start my clock?" - D. L. Townes

Throughout the series, there are several variations on this quote, in which men either ask Beth to start their clock or offer to start hers. In this case, it's Beth who has the crush on Townes, and his offer flusters her a little. Who says chess can't be sexy?

"I don't know why my body is so intent on sabotaging my brain, when my brain is perfectly capable of sabotaging itself." - Alma Wheatley

Another quote from Alma, this one comes after her reliance on pills and alcohol suddenly makes her unable to keep reading. It can also be seen as Beth's problem later down the line, as her own experiences with substance use consume her life.

"Creativity and psychosis often go hand in hand. Or, for that matter, genius and madness." - Jean Blake

This line is spoken by the Life Magazine reporter who interviews Beth early on. Beth bristles at its implications, which means she may recognize the potential truth behind the words.

"Anger is a potent spice. A pinch wakes you up; too much dulls your senses." - Harry Beltik

Beth's most significant problem early on is that she's not used to losing, so when someone crosses her on the board, she gets super mad. It closes her mind to all the different possibilities she could take to get out of it. When Harry takes over coaching, his first act is to break her of that habit.

TBH, I think we could all learn something from this quote, whether it's in chess or in life.

"Do you ever go over games in your head? When you're alone, I mean. Play all the way through them? - Beth Harmon

"Doesn't everybody?" - Benny Watts

The closest person to a soulmate Beth meets during the series, Benny, is just as obsessed with chess (and winning) as she is. Their relationship was always doomed to fail, since they are too similar that way. But when their love affair works, it borders on the stuff of legends.

"I'm not your Guardian Angel. I'm not here to save you. Hell, I can barely save me." - Jolene

Beth's best friend in the series is Jolene, a fellow orphan who takes a fancy to the young girl and helps her navigate the orphanage. When Beth hits rock bottom later on in the series, it's Jolene, who has become both an aspiring radical and the bougie mistress of a high-powered lawyer, who turns up to save the day. Though she's modest about the role she plays in Beth's life, Jolene's tough love is what Beth needs to pick herself back up.

"Let's play." - Beth Harmon

The show's final quote comes after Beth has finally conquered her most prominent opponent, "The Russian," Vasily Borgov. But instead of flying back to the United States and doing the media rounds, she jumps out of her car and does what she wants most. She finds some Russian men playing chess in the park, who remind her of the old janitor who first taught her the game. They treat her like a massive celebrity in their midst as they invite her to have a seat. And then they play.

The Queen's Gambit is on Netflix now.