The Queen's Gambit

Beth Harmon is a quiet and sullen orphan. She has no friends or interests; life in the orphanage consists of quietly waiting for the next day. To keep the children calm, they are given tranquilizers. In the Cold War era,... such treatment was an accepted method, but Beth develops an unhealthy dependence on these magical pills.
One day, the girl meets a local janitor who teaches Beth to play chess. She falls in love with this complex game, and soon it becomes obvious to everyone: Beth is a natural chess genius. She begins participating in tournaments and can no longer imagine her life without matches against the most famous and prestigious opponents.
Chess becomes Beth's passion, an indispensable pleasure, and a companion in her coming of age. But Beth reaches adulthood in the company of two equally strong passions: tranquilizers and alcohol, and there is no one in her life who can help her fight them.
In this isolated state of eternal struggle with her fears and weaknesses, she reaches the pinnacle of success: she heads to a tournament in the USSR. At stake are titles, career, and the honor of proving a female chess player's superiority over the world's best player. This is a sad yet charming story about loneliness and willpower that cannot be put down until the long-awaited resolution.