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The Queen's Gambit: A Novel (Vintage Contemporaries) Paperback – March 11, 2003

4.6 out of 5 stars (24,204)

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NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • Engaging and fast-paced, this gripping coming-of-age novel of chess, feminism, and addiction speeds to a conclusion as elegant and satisfying as a mate in four. Now a highly acclaimed, award-winning Netflix series.

Eight year-old orphan Beth Harmon is quiet, sullen, and by all appearances unremarkable. That is, until she plays her first game of chess. Her senses grow sharper, her thinking clearer, and for the first time in her life she feels herself fully in control. By the age of sixteen, she’s competing for the U.S. Open championship. But as Beth hones her skills on the professional circuit, the stakes get higher, her isolation grows more frightening, and the thought of escape becomes all the more tempting.
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From the Publisher

--Los Angeles Times says Compelling. . . . A magnificent obsession.

Martin Cruz Smith praises a book as thrilling and beautifully crafted

The Plain Dealer praises Tevis' gripping narrative intensity

Editorial Reviews

Review

The Queen's Gambit is sheer entertainment. It is a book I reread every few years--for the pure pleasure and skill of it.” --Michael Ondaatje

“Compelling. . . . A magnificent obsession.”
--Los Angeles Times

“Beth Harmon is an unforgettable creation--and
The Queen's Gambit is Walter Tevis's most consummate and heartbreaking work.” --Jonathan Lethem

“Gripping reading. . . .Nabokov's
The Defenseand Zweig's The Royal Gameare the classics: now joining them is The Queen's Gambit.”  --The Financial Times

“More exciting than any thriller I've seen lately; more than that, beautifully written. “ --Martin Cruz Smith, author of
GorkyPark

“It’s advisable to tape your fingers before opening
The Queen’s Gambit. Otherwise, the suspense may bring on nail-chewing right to the elbow.” --Houston Chronicle

“Tevis traps us in the breathless drama of the moment and makes us feel the same intense involvement his characters feel.” --
The Plain Dealer

“There’s more excitement in Beth than in the collected works of Robert Ludlum.” --Forth Worth Star-Telegram

From the Inside Flap

Eight year-old orphan Beth Harmon is quiet, sullen, and by all appearances unremarkable. That is until she plays her first game of chess. Her senses grow sharper, her thinking clearer, and for the first time in her life she feels herself fully in control. By the age of sixteen, she?s competing for the U.S. Open championship. But as she hones her skills on the professional circuit, the stakes get higher, her isolation grows more frightening, and the thought of escape becomes all the more tempting. Engaging and fast-paced, The Queen?s Gambit speeds to a conclusion as elegant and satisfying as a mate in four.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ March 11, 2003
  • Edition ‏ : ‎ Reprint
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 256 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1400030609
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1400030606
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 6.7 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.19 x 0.58 x 8 inches
  • Best Sellers Rank: #43,436 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.6 out of 5 stars (24,204)

About the author

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Walter Tevis
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Walter Stone Tevis (February 28, 1928 – August 8, 1984) was an American novelist and short story writer. Three of his six novels were adapted into major films: The Hustler, The Color of Money and The Man Who Fell to Earth. His books have been translated into at least 18 languages.

Bio from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Customer reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars
24,204 global ratings

Customers say

Customers find this book highly enjoyable, with a wonderful story that develops Beth's character well and features believable chess descriptions. The writing is excellent, with one customer noting how it provides an easy path forward, and the pacing is fast-moving. They appreciate the series quality, noting it's faithful to the book, and value the intelligence displayed in the chess content, with one review highlighting the complex psychological ballet of the game.
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352 customers mention readability, 340 positive, 12 negative
Customers find the book highly enjoyable and entertaining, with several mentioning they read it in one sitting.
This was a GREAT read! The story flowed very smoothly. I loved the raw details of the main character's story and life was an orphan child....Read more
Despite the talk of chess moves, this is a good read. I just skipped a lot of that as I am not a chess player. The storyline was very interesting....Read more
Complicated, fascinating, and seemingly an impossible journey, orphan Beth begins her chess journey in the basement of the orphanage, taught by a...Read more
Excellent read. I had read this book in the '80s and I have thought about this book off and on over the years. Glad to see it back in print....Read more
218 customers mention story quality, 203 positive, 15 negative
Customers enjoy the story of the book, describing it as beautiful and vivid with intriguing plot developments and an inspiring narrative.
Great story even if you don't play chess. Against all odds Elizabeth Harmon takes up a cerebral game and plays out of a challenging early life....Read more
Good story, but too many chess play descriptions. For those of us who do not play chess , the detailed descriptions were meaningless....Read more
Wonderful story of a young woman's struggles and triumphs in overcoming obstacles, both internal and external in Her life as a brilliant Chess...Read more
...A. Characters were strong. B. Plot was interesting. C. The reader felt affinity for the orphan to success outcome....Read more
115 customers mention character development, 104 positive, 11 negative
Customers appreciate the character development in the book, particularly how well Beth's character is portrayed, noting that she is a wonderfully non-typical figure.
Could not put this down. Wonderful story, wonderful characters.Read more
...She is an interesting character, not always likable, but you find yourself rooting for her to succeed and win at the game and in her life....Read more
...Terrific plot and characters.Read more
...Beth Harmon is an extremely appealing character and the book gives a fine idea of what chess at a world-class level is all aboutRead more
113 customers mention writing quality, 106 positive, 7 negative
Customers praise the writing quality of the book, describing it as beautifully written and easy to follow, with one customer noting that the style keeps the story moving rapidly.
The Queen's Gambit, which I saw as a movie before reading, is a well written, tightly researched book about the world of chess through the eyes of...Read more
Page turning. Beautifully written, captures you start to finish even with no chess knowledge. Will read again. Follow Netflix show well.Read more
...would enhance the read but that's not necessary to enjoy the well written story that moves rapidly...very interesting. I highly recommend this book.Read more
Very well written with lots of intrigue. This followed the movie for the majority of the book It was a fun read.Read more
68 customers mention pacing, 48 positive, 20 negative
Customers enjoy the pacing of the book, describing it as a fast-moving story with short chapters, and one customer notes that the suspense moves from page to page.
An excellent book! Well written, fast paced and vivid in the readers mind. Not a word wasted and even if you don't play chess this will grab you!...Read more
Fun, fast, and rollercoaster of a read. I found myself rooting for Beth very quickly. Lots of great writing in these 244 pages!Read more
Stupid and VERY predictable. Plot was thin and chess descriptions were overly amateurish. Glad this book was as inexpensive as it was...Read more
Clean clear prose so crisp you can almost hear the crunch as you read the words. Chess is not my game but I could wish it was.Read more
64 customers mention series quality, 62 positive, 2 negative
Customers love the TV series adaptation of the book, finding it much better than the mini-series, with one customer noting it makes an excellent companion to the mini-series.
...It’s a great series that can be read as a coming-of-age story about a young chess prodigy – or as a feminist tale of a woman striving towards the...Read more
I couldn’t put this down! Loved the mini series too. I never understood chess, but now I want to learn!Read more
I loved the series, but the book was better. It’s a 40 plus year old book, written by the author of the hustler and the color of money....Read more
This is better than the series & better than any novel on Chess I’ve read....Read more
50 customers mention detail, 40 positive, 10 negative
Customers appreciate the book's detailed and tightly researched approach, particularly noting the believable chess descriptions and interesting portrayal of the world of chess.
Great story, well told, with great pacing. Loved it.Read more
...As a chess lover I was impressed how well researched it is. It’s not perfect, but it’s the best chess fiction book I’ve read....Read more
...A ripping yarn, expertly told. The rarest of tinctures, even a drop of which sates a thirst I as a reader never knew I had....Read more
...The chess drama doesn't always make sense either because of technical inaccuracies, though I'm willing to forgive those as well....Read more
46 customers mention intelligence, 44 positive, 2 negative
Customers appreciate the book's intelligent approach to chess, with one customer noting how well-researched the games are and another highlighting the complex psychological aspects of the game.
One my favorite books that I've read in years. Suspenseful, smart, and engaging. There's a sense of loneliness in being great that is very well done....Read more
...the characters were interesting and well-developed.Read more
...It’s a story well told that is both faithful to its times and prescient in that it heralds a time when women can truly "master” a male-dominated...Read more
...This book really captured and held my attention--it's a fascinating study, not so much of chess, but of human nature and of the limitations we...Read more
Great Book
5 out of 5 stars
Great Book
Great condition and got here super fast. Loved the netflix showed and I’m so excited to start reading it! The only thing i didn’t like is the Netflix promo in the front of the book but besides that all great
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Top reviews from the United States

  • Reviewed in the United States on May 23, 2024
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    I’m a great fan of The Queen’s Gambit streaming series, having watched it three times. It’s a great series that can be read as a coming-of-age story about a young chess prodigy – or as a feminist tale of a woman striving towards the top of a man’s world. And, of course, as both.

    The book and series are notably faithful to each other, with each offering insights that are unique to their storytelling forms.

    As a reader would expect, the book contains more background color about the characters themselves (except for the protagonist’s friend Jolene, a pivotal character who is developed more assertively in the streaming series). The book reader also gets more of the protagonist’s family backstory: how did she become an orphan? And what was her actual family background? These elements are mostly absent from the book. The book excels at taking you inside the story’s chess play, describing the decisions made – interpreting the otherwise cryptic moves, so the reader has a technical context for better understanding them. (It won’t make you a chess expert; it will make you better appreciate some of the complexities beneath the chessboard.)

    Where the streaming series excels over the book is in its wonderful attention to period detail: we’re shown the protagonist’s world of the United States, Mexico, and Russia in the 1960s. That detail is captured richly and well, at least to someone who lived through a part of that time and remembers it. Very little of this element comes through the pages of the book.

    It's worth noting that the story as told via both media ends too abruptly -- the book even more so. Both would have benefited well from more of a denouement.

    The feminist theme of the book and streaming series is particularly well done. Both media invoke the reality of the times they’re depicting with clarity – but without hammering the reader/viewer over the head: “see how awful women had it back then? See how hard they had to work to overcome male bias?” No, it’s not a feminist manifesto. It’s a story well told that is both faithful to its times and prescient in that it heralds a time when women can truly "master” a male-dominated pursuit such as chess.

    In summary, the book is worth reading in its own right. And it perhaps serves best to enhance one’s understanding of the streaming series, making that excellent production more nuanced, well-rounded, and comprehensible. I strongly advise consuming the story via both media: book and streaming series. I don't think the order in which they're consumed matters that much. But if you can only consume this story via one media, reach for your remote. It's well cast and well acted, and the period detail alone is worth watching.
    36 people found this helpful
    Report
  • Reviewed in the United States on September 19, 2015
    Beth is a chess prodigy, possessed of a natural talent for the game. Such people are rare but do exist. I found the book very enjoyable with Beth a very engaging character. Tevis writes well and the book is fast-moving, filled with believable characters. I would recommend this book highly to people who know nothing about chess. I might suggest, if this book is ever revised, that more explanation go into the chess notation as that would make the book more enjoyable for those who can't read the notation. (And maybe, replace descriptive notation with algebraic.)

    Unfortunately, if I were writing this review for a publication like Chess Life, read by knowledgeable chess players, I would give this book only 3 stars. The chess world presented in this book is not very true to life. Here are some of the problems I see:

    Beth enters a state tournament and wins, having studied chess from Modern Chess Openings (MCO). Yes, even prodigies have to study the game, but Beth doesn't study the middlegame or endgame?
    Well into her career, Beth is still studying the games of Paul Morphy. Morphy was a genius for his time (1850-60's) but today, his chess knowledge is primitive. It would be of little use.
    Beth studies openings she prefers from the aforementioned MCO such as the Sicilian Defense. She then goes to a tournament and is apparently surprised when her opponent responds to pawn to king 4 (e4) with pawn to king 4 (e5). Some surprise! About 40% of king pawn openings begin this way! Beth can't be choosy about the openings she wants to learn because opponents might not respond the way she wants.
    Beth is recognized as a person with a rare gift by both her school principal and a local chess club president after she puts on an astounding demonstration of her skill. But then they ignore her! Huh? When Fischer was a young prodigy, New York's most prestigious chess clubs were fighting tooth and nail to get him as a member. A person of this talent lends prestige to a chess club or a private school!
    Beth's games all seem to end at about 30 moves. Highly unlikely! Although she is reportedly a great attacking player, even the greatest attackers in chess history, like Alekhine and Fischer, played many endgames.
    There are far too few drawn games. At high level tournament play, draws account for about half the game results. Yet Beth and the fictional world champion seem to win tournaments with scores of 7-0. I think Beth is reported to have only one drawn game! More commonly, a round robin of 8 players would be won by a score of, say, 3 wins, 3 draws, and 1 loss.
    Beth struggles to find money to enter tournaments. Again, with her talent and being a woman chess master in a man's world, this would be unlikely. The U.S. Government, during the cold war, would have probably found money to send her to Russia, but if not, there would have been private sponsorship.
    As already noted by other reviewers, there are a few technical problems with the game descriptions, where for example, Beth, with the white pieces, plays black's move in a Sicilian.

    All in all, an enjoyable book, although the world of chess is fanciful.
    28 people found this helpful
    Report
  • Reviewed in the United States on August 30, 2025
    Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
    This book was well written and as exciting as a book focused on chess strategies can be when read by a non-expert of the game. The characters were fascinating, but I did have a little difficulty with the over sexualization of Beth’s early years (ages 8- 14/15). A bit of @menwritewomen worthy material in the beginning.

    All in all it was worth the read and the hype and I enjoyed it.

Top reviews from other countries

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  • M. van Driel
    5.0 out of 5 stars I am in awe
    Reviewed in the Netherlands on November 15, 2020
    Meticulously written, not a word too much, mostly just describing what happens, not falling into the trap of familiar tropes, The Queen’s Gambit is such a tender and warm and generous book. Beth Harmon is not playing chess against grandmasters, she’s playing against herself. And isn’t that what we all are doing?
  • Anoop
    5.0 out of 5 stars Superb plot of the story
    Reviewed in India on October 27, 2022
    The rise of an orphan from zero to hero with Chess.
    But to enjoy this, you must have the basic idea of Chess.
  • Romulo Sousa
    5.0 out of 5 stars É um livro muito gostoso de ler e a história é legal.
    Reviewed in Brazil on December 22, 2020
    Fora um detalhe menor ou outro tudo que foi retratado na série está no livro. Ao invés de reassistir a série eu estou lendo o livro e está sendo bem legal. Recomendo.
    Report
  • carla bertana
    5.0 out of 5 stars passionnant
    Reviewed in France on October 20, 2023
    Livre absolument passionnant qui se lit comme une vraie partie d’échecs et qui vous tient en haleine jusqu’à la fin. Je n’arrivais pas à le poser… cela explique d’une façon fascinante comment un grand champion visualise les parties, c’est impressionnant.
    Très intéressant, à lire!
  • Marco_MR
    5.0 out of 5 stars Jaque mate
    Reviewed in Mexico on August 24, 2023
    Insuperable Walter Tevis con este libro, la serie le hace justicia y las licencias que se toma, son validas en pos de un drama soberbio.