Waukesha County Female Chess Players Talk About 'Queen's Gambit'

WAUKESHA COUNTY, WI — "The Queen's Gambit" on Netflix has viewers glued to the screen. Set during the Cold War era, orphaned chess prodigy Beth Harmon struggles with addiction in a quest to become the greatest chess player in the world.

As local female chess players explain, you don't need flaming red locks of hair like the show's central character to stand out. These players have tenacity, endurance, and problem-solving skills that make them hard to defeat.

Patch interviewed female chess players from Mequon, Brookfield and New Berlin to discuss the show as well as their experiences as chess players.

'I beat the guy'

Maddie Weber, 16, of Mequon has been playing in professional tournaments since she was 10. Weber learned to play chess from her mother and was encouraged to check out a chess club.

She walked into the club's meeting room and found only guys. The club members said they would put Weber with someone and, as it turned out, it was the club's best player.

"I beat the guy. It was an interesting moment that I will never forget," Weber told Patch.

She told Patch most chess players are male and that she believes the game will never be even between both genders. The upside for her is seeing more female players joining the game.

"It is definitely not a 50/50 split — more like 90/10," Weber said.

While the battle of the sexes continues, the mindset has shifted. Weber said there used to be the notion that playing against a girl meant an easy win for guys. After players like Weber move their pieces strategically for a checkmate, it is clear the game is not easy for anyone.

What she loves about chess is that every game is different and you will never have two games that are the same.

Maddie has heard of the Netflix show but hasn't watched it. She doesn't know if is because of her gender but has been questioned as to why she played at the section above her. In the show, the main character is faced with some gender biases from others.

"The chess community is a lot more loving than the show portrays," Weber said.

She used to play at a lot of tournaments and would also go to coffee shops and play against some older men.

"It was about playing chess and not about gender or age. I think it is just beautiful how people can get together like that," Weber said.

Weber is currently a chess coach and said what players need most is support. In her experience, she has had two types of coaches: one who was very critical and the other who built up her confidence. To be a great coach, you must have a balance of both, according to Weber. As a coach, she loves seeing her students improve and watching them play. Two of her chess students ended up winning tournaments.

"You need to have a coach who keeps the game fun," she said.

'All about the mindset'

Gauri Menon, 14, has been playing chess for nine years. The Brookfield Central High School student learned about chess through her father. She still recalls her first game and how her father warned her about a chess move.

"I lost in four moves, and it was because of the move my dad told me about. I heard him but didn't apply it," Menon said.

What she loves about chess is that it requires her to think ahead and think outside the box.

"I have to use creativity and my imagination to get out of tough problems or win a game," she said.

Learning how to lose a game is also important. Menon said if she loses a key game in a big tournament, it will weigh on her for a day.

"After that, I try to pick myself up. I go over the game and see the mistakes that I made and how I could have done better," she said.

The main character in "The Queen's Gambit" struggles with stressors that throw her off her game in the series. Menon said this can happen to players in real life. She said there are times when a big test is coming up around the same time as a chess tournament.

Menon said she learned it is all about the mindset.

"You can't go into a tournament thinking about the big test on Monday. The main thing I have to focus on is chess," she said.

The only thing can be chess, she said. As Menon plays, she can only think about the next move and not jumping ahead to the next week.

"It's not perfect. I'm still learning how to do this," Menon said.

Menon told Patch the number of tournaments she has played in has made her a better player. Her rating is 1960, which is considered good.

Menon admits she hasn't watched "The Queen's Gambit" but hopes viewers can appreciate the determination of female players to go far in the world of chess.

'Wearing them down with her patience'

Bella Kurth, 13, of New Berlin has been playing chess for four years. She watched a film at a Milwaukee Film Festival about a young girl who learns to play chess and was intrigued. Kurth joined a local club and said there were about 10 other girls out of 60 players.

When she first started playing, she went to a tournament in Nashville, Tennessee. Bella said it held the world record for the biggest tournament, with 5,000 players. It was a good experience for her, Kurth said.

The Eisenhower Middle School student said a key to being a successful player is having patience.

"You need the time to think and strategize," she said.

Her mom, Theresa, said that while there are chess clubs, it is a different environment from playing in a tournament. There is a large group of kids who are emotionally invested in the game.

"It is not unusual to hear pockets of people crying because of their age," Theresa told Patch.

Theresa said some of the games can be pretty long and intense — and if a player doesn't see a checkmate coming, the impact can be devastating.

Both mom and daughter agreed if someone spent an hour on a game and it ended up in a loss, that person can feel emotionally gutted.

At 13, the game has helped Kurth learn to have patience.

"She is really good at wearing her opponents down with her patience. I've watched her do it," Theresa said.

Kurth is somewhat reserved, but her mom is happy to give her kudos. It was the last day of a tournament and every board was gone. Everyone was waiting for the results of her game.

"She spent 15 minutes with one second on her clock at a tournament and kept moving until she beat the kid," Theresa said.

The proud mom said she burst into tears while watching Bella and described her chess moves as "dazzling."

Theresa said anyone serious about chess will get a chess coach. Kurth had a chess coach who relocated but stayed in contact. The coach praised Kurth for becoming a more confident and strong player.

What Theresa admires about chess is that someone can be any age, any gender, from any background, and "you can still hold your own against an 80-year-old guy or a huge high school kid. It is amazing," she said.

Both ladies watched "The Queen's Gambit" and felt that the camaraderie between "Beth Harmon" and her friends was well-reflected.

"At first, the men were skeptical of Harmon until they saw what she could do. Bella experienced that as well," she said.

Kurth had some boys on her team who didn't take her seriously at first. Her mom said it wasn't until she was the last one playing at a match and they "watched her pull a rabbit out of a hat to win." After the win, the other team members had respect for her.

"I wonder if 'The Queen's Gambit' will make chess seem cooler," Theresa said. "It's not really considered cool, but there is a huge subculture of it."