- “The Queen’s Gambit” became a streaming sensation, breaking viewer numbers and encouraging an interest in chess.
- Three months after its release, the show has revived some tourism industries and retail sales.
- Ecommerce exploded, while one streamer who teaches chess on Twitch reported jumping from 20,000 followers in April to 259,000 today.
While folding laundry, Michelle Garside has found that her mind instinctively roams to chess tactics.
“I watched ‘The Queen’s Gambit’ on Netflix and was mesmerized, not just by the game but by the entire mindset, the entire lifestyle,” the 36-year-old entrepreneur based in Fairfield, Connecticut, told Insider. Having recently learned to play, Garside said she looks forward to the end of the workday when she and her husband, Eric, an avid chess player, can enjoy dinner conversations revolving around strategy. She credits chess for providing both her brain and her marriage with much-needed stimulation during the pandemic.
Jenise Wilson, meanwhile, grew frustrated whenever her boyfriend tried to teach her to play chess. Then one October evening after binge-watching “The Queen’s Gambit,” the 49-year-old New Yorker decided to give it one last try and became hooked. Now the mother of two is a premier member of Chess.com and said she spends up to four hours a day doing puzzles and drills online.