Original subtitles

You know, most times when people tell us some things for the best, it's for the

worst.

This time is true, okay?

Be right back.

Janet,

take Christopher back inside the house right now.

No, no, you can't talk. No, you shouldn't have brought her. Why did you

bring her? Because I need your help. It's too late.

Please go.

Mama?

Who was that?

A mistake.

A rounding error.

It's just a problem I gotta solve.

What problem?

What I do with you.

This whole house belong to you?

You're no orphan.

Not anymore.

You been in Lexington this whole time?

Uh, Louisville.

What brought you back here?

You don't seem to like answering your phone.

Mr. Sharble died.

There's a funeral day after tomorrow. I thought we could go together

Thank

you

Mm-hmm

God Beth Yeah

I'm working as a paralegal.

You went to college? I did, Kentucky State.

I got a physical education scholarship.

But when I found out the school used to be called the State Normal School for

Colored Persons, it made me want to study history, which pissed me off way

more than I already was.

It's hard to imagine.

I switched my major to poli sci.

I'm saving up for law school.

I know.

Me, a lawyer, but the world is fucked up.

And if I'm gonna change it, I can't spend all my time teaching white girls

how to hold a badminton racket.

I'm gonna be a radical.

Didn't know that was a career choice.

It will be.

Mm-hmm.

I still take them.

Looks like you're doing a lot more than pills, honey.

Haven't had anything today.

Not yet, anyway.

I'm supposed to go to Russia at the end of the year.

I'm afraid.

Then don't go.

I have to go.

If I don't, there's nothing for me to do. I'll just drink.

Well, looks like you'd do that anyway.

I need to quit the wine and the pills and clean this place up.

That'd be a good place to start.

I have to study chess eight hours a day.

They want me to play in San Francisco and they want me on The Tonight Show. I

should probably do all of that. Who's they?

Chess Federation.

Oh.

But what I want is a drink.

If you weren't here, I'd probably have a bottle of wine right now.

You sound like Susan Haywood in one of those movies.

I read about this pop artist once.

Bought an original drawing by Michelangelo.

When he got it home, he took a piece of art gum and just erased it.

Leaving nothing but a blank page.

I remember being really shocked by that.

Now I wonder if I haven't somehow erased my own brain.

Let's pretend that you didn't just compare yourself to Michelangelo.

And let's look at where you're at.

Which, after being here all of five minutes, looks like it's at the bottom

of a fucking hole.

And it's looking a lot like you dug it yourself. My advice?

Stop digging.

Maybe it's in my blood.

My mother went crazy.

Went crazy or always was?

I don't know.

She drink or any such?

No, never.

She gone.

Quit thinking about it. It's not doing you any good.

Besides, I got you a present.

It was me all along.

I was pissed at you for being a doctor.

What about for being a white trash-cracker bitch?

Who could forget?

How much does a

paralegal make anyway?

Not enough to buy this car, if that's what you're wondering.

It was a gift from one of the partners at the firm.

What's it now?

He wants to marry me.

As soon as he divorces the wife he's already got.

Sounds like a real peach.

He's white, too.

Where a kid's name is, he's teaching me how to play squash.

Squash? A game rich white people play.

I bet you'd be good at it.

Whole farm is white. They hired me to keep up with the times.

Instead of the usual black cleaning woman, they wanted a clean black woman

with a nice ass and a good vocabulary.

And you are very clean.

When I did the interview, I made sure to use a lot of words like reprehensible

and dichotomy.

They perked right up.

But I'm gone the second I passed the bar.

What I want is what you got.

You've been the best at what you do for so long.

You don't even know what it's like for the rest of us.

So what would your fellow radicals think, you being with a rich white

lawyer?

Fuck them if they can't take a joke.

A trailer?

Wow. You really were the gold standard for white trash girls everywhere,

weren't you?

My mama came for money.

Then she married into more of it.

Then how'd y'all end up way out here?

It's complicated.

I see.

You want to go in?

Throw some rocks through the windows.

Choices have consequences.

No more chess.

You are here because your parents made certain choices.

You will need to learn to make different choices.

I just realized that I never want to go back in there again.

Come to me, all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.

Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble at heart.

Mrs. Deardorff isn't here. You will find rest.

None of them are.

Deardorff fell and broke a hip.

Right after you left.

She had to walk with a cane after.

Never the same.

Made me almost believe in God.

I didn't know William Scheibel.

But I'm told he was not a religious man so much as a solitary man.

None of them are crying.

They all look like they're waiting in line at the bank.

You okay?

I feel bad.

I owe him ten dollars.

The director of the Methuen home, Helen Dierdorf, says that he was beloved

by the staff and students alike, that he had an admirable work ethic.

I changed my mind.

Only be a minute.

you

You should be in chapel, young lady.

Yes, ma'am.

Beth?

Go away.

Oh, did you bite off more than you can chew?

Oh, look.

Shh. It's all right.

What we would really like from you, Elizabeth, would be some kind of

statement.

Statement? Christian Crusade would like you to make your position public in a

world where so many keep silent.

What position is that?

As we know, the spread of communism is also the spread of atheism.

I suppose so.

Oh, it's not a matter of supposing.

It's a matter of fact, of Marxist-Leninist fact.

The holy word is anathema to the Kremlin and the atheists who sit there.

I have no quarrel with that. Good.

What we want is a statement to that effect.

To the press?

Exactly.

We have something prepared. There you go.

I'm a chess player.

Of course you are, my dear. But you're also a Christian.

I'm not sure about that.

Look, I have no intention of saying anything like this. Why not?

Because it's fucking nonsense.

Christian Crusade has already invested a good deal of money.

We paid for your last trip to San Francisco. We were all very proud of

you. And we've already spent a good deal more on your upcoming trip to the Soviet

Union. Okay.

Fine.

I'll give it all back.

I hope you know what you're doing, dear.

Oh, it's official now.

You're crazy.

You are out of your fucking mind.

Maybe.

Probably. But I did it, and it's too late to undo it. Are the tickets paid

for? No.

Nothing's paid for.

You understand you've got to pay in-tours for the hotel in advance.

I know that.

I have $2,000 in my bank account.

It would be more, but I've been keeping up the house.

It's going to take $1,000 more to do it.

At least that.

I was wondering. I don't have it.

What do you mean?

You've got money.

I don't have it.

Did you gamble it all away?

What difference does it make?

You can call the Federation or the State Department.

The Federation doesn't like me.

They think I haven't done as much for chess as I could have.

Should have gone on tonight and filled Donahue.

Benny, come on. I don't want to go to Russia by myself.

Benny? Are you kidding me?

What? First, you don't come back to New York and you basically tell me that

you'd rather be a drunk than be with me.

And now you pull this crap? No, you can fucking well go alone.

Maybe I shouldn't have done it.

Maybe. Maybe is a loser's word, Beth. Penny. Don't call me anymore.

I thought you said you could play. I said I'm learning.

Cultural Affairs.

O'Malley speaking.

Hello.

Three thousand dollars?

Yes, straight away.

I'll see what I can do.

I'll get back to you in an hour. An hour?

terribly sorry.

But there's just no way government funds could be handed out to you without more

time and approval.

Don't you have some petty cash or something?

I don't need funds to undermine the government in Moscow. I just need money

for my trip.

I'm sorry. I'm really sorry.

But we will be sending one of our men with you.

Keep you safe.

Keep me safe?

I shouldn't have bought the house.

For all those dresses.

3,000 is a lot.

It's expensive to go to Moscow.

I'll give it to you.

What?

No, you just said it's a lot of money. I have it and more. I haven't saved it.

You need it for law school.

I do.

And you'll give it back.

When you win.

What if I don't win?

It's still worth it.

Or you could give me the black dress.

Or the purple one.

I like them both.

You're like... my guardian angel.

Fuck Ryan out loud.

Hey, Beth.

Fuck you.

Chavo isn't the only one who kept after you all these years.

I know how you lost to Benny Watts in Vegas and then beat him in Ohio.

I read the papers.

Even on a group trip into town, I spent my ice cream money on the damn chess

magazine. It had your ugly face on it.

For a time, I was all you had.

And for a time...

He was all I had.

We weren't orphans.

Not as long as we had each other.

You understand what I'm saying?

I'm not your guardian angel.

I'm not here to save you. I can barely save me.

I'm here because you need me to be.

It's what family does.

It's what we are.

Someday I might need you.

It's doubtful, but you never know.

But if I do,

you'll come, won't you?

I might.

You been to Russia before?

Have you?

Once or twice.

There's a few rules.

One, stay in your hotel at all times unless you're with me.

Two, do not answer your door or your phone unless it's me.

How will I know it's you if I don't answer?

Three, no drinking.

You just offered me a drink.

That was a test.

Let me know if any of the Russian players tries to speak with you.

In particular, Vasily Borgov.

If he sends a signal in any way or sends a note, I want to know immediately.

What exactly would a signal look like?

Could be anything.

You could do it in one of your matches.

How?

I don't know.

I don't play chess.

Just be on the lookout.

I'm told he may want to talk.

Talk about what?

What part of the State Department did you say you were from again?

Is it a shaman?

I think it is.

I think it's a little Russian.

I don't know.

This is definitely better than mine.

Remember, stay in your room at all times. Do not leave the hotel unless

you're with me.

I'll come get you in the morning.

Will you knock two times fast or one time slow?

Good one welcome to Russia

Yes,

this will do nicely

As the famous Thomas Huxley said, the chessboard is the whole world. The

figures on it are the creation of the universe.

The rules of the game are what we call the laws of nature.

And the player on the other side of the board is hidden from us.

Ladies and gentlemen, dear comrades, please welcome Elizabeth Harmon.

U.S.A.

U

.S

.A.

Mr. Duhamel, France.

Mr.

Luchenco, USSR.

Mr.

Flento, Italy.

Comrade Vargov, SSR!

Thank you.

As far as they knew, Harmon's level of play wasn't up to theirs.

Someone like Laiev probably didn't spend a lot of time preparing for their match.

Elizabeth Harmon's not at all an important player by their standards.

The only unusual thing about her, really, is her sex.

And even that's not unique in Russia.

There's Nona Gaprindishvili, but she's the female world champion and has never

faced men.

My guess is Laiev was expecting an easy win, and not at all the 27 moves

thrashing Beth Harmon just gave him.

Lisa, we love you!

Can I have your autograph, please?

Thank you very much!

Congratulations!

Thank you.

Beth Harmon's games with Hellstrom and Shapkin were rigorous, grim affairs,

and, I'm sure, for the young American, rather exhausting.

But there was a solidity to her opening moves that she was able to maintain

through the middle game and on to the point each of them resigned.

Hellstrom, it must be said, clearly took it rather hard and didn't speak to

Harmon afterwards.

Jack Kim, however, was very decent, very civilized, and took his loss with grace,

even though Harmon's win over him was decisive and merciless.

Thank you.

No.

Lachenko is the oldest player here. He was world champion before Elizabeth

Harmon was born.

He defeated the great Alakine in an exhibition when he was a boy, played to

a draw with Botvanek, and crushed Bronstein in Havana.

And while he's no longer the tiger he once was, he's a dangerous player when

allowed to attack.

Harmon will have to be very careful.

I don't understand. Did we win or did we lose?

We adjourned.

Meaning?

Meaning we didn't finish.

So, uh, when do we finish?

Tomorrow.

But right now, we really need some sleep.

OBSLUSHIVANIE!

So what?

He will walk on foot, our first.

Yes, this is the closest connection.

And I will chase her.

Good evening.

Harman had her 90 minutes of play and Lachenko had the same, along with 35

minutes he had left from the day before.

This put three things against her.

Lachenko having the white pieces.

His still unstopped attack.

And that extra allotment of time. So, it was all the more impressive when she

beat him with 25 minutes still on her clock.

Excellent. What a brilliant recovery.

I resign with relief.

Played your games since I was a small girl.

I've always really admired you.

You are how old again?

I'm 20.

Don't tell me.

It'll only drive a stake through my head.

I went over your games at this tournament.

You are a marvel, my dear.

I may have just played the best chess player of my life.

You will get used to it.

Thank you.

So far, Elizabeth Harmon is proving to be the biggest attraction since the

youth festival in 1957.

Some in Moscow are even calling her an ambassador of sorts.

This evening, she played the English opening against Lente.

A sequence I've always found to be like the Sicilian in reverse.

He's nowhere near her level, and I don't think she expected the game to go on for

nearly four hours.

But Flento put up quite a fight along the two main diagonals, and played the

four-knights variation with a sophistication that looked, for a while

at least, like it was far beyond Harmon's.

But by the middle game, she traded herself out of that position, and

ultimately forced Flento to resign.

The result being, she could come to her match with Baldos tomorrow, exorcism.

Who was that?

A mistake.

A rounding error.

It's just a problem I gotta solve.

What problem?

What I do with you.

Mama?

Close your eyes.

The dance in progress, I have to say, I found Borgov's second move to be a bit

of a surprise.

Normally, Borgov would do something more solid, but here he's going against his

own style and playing a rare line to win.

He must win.

Harman's response was a complete deviation from the elven, which must

have surprised him right back, whilst allowing her to get out into the open.

Now, the two of them can fight it out from here with their own wits.

Elizabeth Harmon makes an unexpected and incomprehensible move, bishop g2.

Let's see what it will lead to.

The situation is heating up.

Okay.

Adieu.

Paris Match, Time Magazine, The Observer, Reuters, UPI.

You're bigger than the monkeys.

Please, I just want to go to sleep.

Don't be like that.

It'd be good to talk to them.

Tell them that being in Russia has made you feel lucky to be an American.

Dick Evans from Time. Do you have a minute?

It depends.

Will you put me on the cover? Are you going to beat him? I haven't made any

mistakes so far. Neither has he.

Is it true that you learned how to play at an orphanage when you were two?

I was nine.

Such a young age. Who taught you?

His name was Scheibel.

William Scheibel.

He was a janitor, and he played in the basement.

The janitor taught you to play chess?

That's right. William Scheibel was a fine player.

He spent a lot of time at it, and he was quite good.

Now, will you please promise to print that?

Absolutely. Thank you. Yes, yes, sure. Thank you. If you'll excuse me, I'm very

tired. Excuse me, Mr. Herman.

I'm with the Lexington Herald-Leader.

Our readers back home in Kentucky would like to know if it's true.

Had you here all by yourself?

How did you even get a visa so fast?

The newspaper helped me.

I'm an associate editor now.

And the Moscow embassy.

Really? Yeah.

I'm guessing they thought I'd distract you.

They only knew.

I know you were angry with me.

And I'm sorry.

I should have told you the whole story.

No.

I'm sorry.

I should have let you.

I will admit, I was a little... confused.

You really are something.

But, um, what I really wanted was for us to be friends.

And you kind of broke my heart.

I have a way of doing that.

Do you forgive me?

Clearly.

Consider me your second.

What do we need to do to help you beat Borgov?

Well, what I need are... the pills,

the booze. I need my mind cloudy to win.

I can't visualize the games without them. Really?

You think that's what brought you here?

I think that's what I'm used to.

Yeah, but you've been doing fine without all that.

Haven't you?

Yes. I threw away the pills.

And then I asked the front desk where I could get more.

I just really need them right now.

Or I thought I did.

Hey.

Lady, you were out.

What time is it?

It's late.

Thank you.

I'll get it.

Drink your coffee.

Yes? Put him through.

You all there?

I'll put her on.

Hello? If he goes for the knight hidden with a king rook pawn.

Any? If he goes for the bishop, do the same thing, but open up your queen file.

How do you know?

It's in the times.

7 a.m. here, but we've been working on it for three hours.

We? Hi, Beth.

Hi, Harry.

It's really nice to hear your voice.

Hang on.

Hey, Harry!

How are you? I'm so proud of you.

Hey,

assholes. This is costing me a bundle.

Beth, listen to me. You gotta open up that file, okay?

How do I do that?

There are four ways.

Depending on what he does, we've each been working our way through.

So do you have it handy?

Yes, I do. Yes. Great. Okay, well let's start with his knight to rook four,

where you push that king-knight pawn.

You got that? Yes.

Great. I'll pass it back to Harry.

Okay, there are three things you might do now. So after the queen to knight

three, you play knight to king six.

Then if he plays rook to rook five, then you play pawn to king three.

Another variation.

If he plays knight takes pawn on king five, then you take the rook. But if he

plays rook to rook seven, check, then play rook to bishop two.

How much? How much?

How much?

How much?

How much?

How much? How much? How much? Benny, it's almost five here.

Okay.

Let's see how much it feels.

He's not doing what he's supposed to do.

you

Draw. Borgov never offers draws, but he's offering Elizabeth Harmon one.

If she accepts, she leaves the stage in a tie with the world champion.

If they play on...

Once the dust settles and the endgame emerges, she could find herself in a

very different position.

Borgoth is deaf on endgames. He's famous for it.

Harmon, on the other hand, is not.

She's more known for coming out early and strong, and demoralizing her

opponents from the start.

So I think she should accept the draw.

The world will see it as a solid achievement.

A draw, however, is not a win.

The one thing we know about Elizabeth Harmon is that she loves to win.

Thank you.

has been the whole point of the sequence, beginning with the bishop

cutting down the scope of the rook by forcing it to a less threatening round.

The question is, what will she do now?

It's your game.

Take it.

Thank you.

Good for you, Cracker.

Good for you.

The president has invited you to the White House.

There'll be a chess board set up in the Oval Office, and of course a photo op of

you kicking his ass.

Texas being more of a checker state.

There's a dinner tonight after the reception at the Russian Chess Club in

Georgetown.

A lot of prominent dissidents belong, so we've prepared a list of talking points.

It's a big deal.

beating the Soviets at the wrong game.

Could you stop the car, please?

I'd like to walk.

To the airport?

You're gonna miss the flight.

Gaman.

Lisa Gaman.

Yes.

Harmon.

This is Lisa Harmon.

Hello.

Thank you.

Let's play.