Similarities between Paul Morphy and Beth Harmon (The Queen’s Gambit)

As many know, The Netflix Series The Queen’s Gambit has exploded in popularity all over the world, having amassed more than 62 million views in the first four weeks. Many have written blogs and articles about the Queen’s Gambit, but not many have analyzed the subtleties of one comparison made in the series: Paul Morphy vs Beth Harmon.

In The Queen’s Gambit, Harry Beltik (Beth’s chess-playing confidant from Kentucky) compares the two, even going as far as to say that Beth is Paul Morphy.  Today we’ll explore the similarities and differences between the two chess prodigies.

Many know about Beth Harmon, the protagonist of the Queen’s Gambit; she’s a chess prodigy and super-grandmaster with a dark past, mainly concerning her issues with alcohol abuse.  But not all know about Paul Morphy. Morphy was born in Louisiana to a wealthy family (unlike Beth).  He, like Beth, was a prodigy.  Standing just 5’4, Morphy became a larger than life figure in the eyes of many, as from a young age he dominated the chess world, defeating a Hungarian grandmaster at the age of twelve.  He was recognized as the best chess player in the world in 1959 at the age of 21, as he traveled across Europe, winning game after game against the greats.

However, he retired from chess at the age of 22.  Many sources claim that chess drove Morphy to insanity; a letter from a friend claimed that Morphy was “deranged” and wandered idly through the streets of New Orleans. His Wikipedia page claims that he died at the age of 47 surrounded by women’s shoes.

Now, is Beltik correct in comparing the two? Obviously, his claim is subjective, and many will dispute it, as Beth’s character is one of a kind.  But she does resemble Morphy in some ways; both were American chess prodigies with some off-the-board issues.  Fortunately, Beth does not follow Morphy’s path of destruction and refrains from becoming the second “Pride and Sorrow of Chess.”

Any more comments about the Queen’s Gambit? Leave a comment down below, and we’ll talk about it.

Thanks for reading!

JC