I kind of dreaded watching episode 5 and I was very anxious throughout the episode because it’s frustrating seeing Beth always have to face these obstacles and hardships. She goes from being really dependent to being very independent because of the tragedy she experiences. But I guess this is a part of adulting and growing up. This episode also highlights Beth’s character flaw, which a lot of people with big egos also have. She keeps on insisting that she can’t be beaten in chess which actually weakens her ability. This flaw has already been mentioned and I think it will continue to be a major plot in future episodes. I like how Harry gave her a reality check and tried to humble her.

This episode is the definition of “the enemy of my enemy is my friend.” Beth finally teams up with with another rival who helps her refine her skills in preparation of facing Borgov. I think that this episode was another step in Beth’s growth because she was able to set aside her differences and work towards her goal. Beth is also a character that tends to refuse help because she believes that being able to overcome her challenges is an indication of her strength and skill in chess. In this episode, Beth has to look past her own pride in order to accept help from an opponent. In doing so, Beth also forms additional friendships and bonds because she opens herself up and puts herself in a vulnerable position. However, Beth also learns the most in opening up because she is able to take advice from others. This episode reminded me of the concept of therapy because it requires the patient or person to be willing to receive help in order to “get better.” In this case, Beth needed to want help in order to be helped.

This was a difficult episode for Beth. Coming back from her loss against Borgov and the death of her adoptive mother, Beth reaches a low in this episode, letting go of important things in her life and turning to alcohol. I was happy to see Harry come to help her with chess and help her work through this time emotionally and be someone to support her. Ultimately though, Harry couldn’t give Beth all that she needed for support or for chess. Beth needed to be able to work through her issues by focusing on herself, but also by taking on new challenges that push her to be better and accept that defeat is part of the road to success. She finds that in Benny, who whoops her butt repeated in speed chess and is one of the only people who has ever actually challenged Beth in chess. Ultimately, this seemed to help as she was able to beat Benny in the tournament. She also made a new friend to help her on the road to beating Borgov.

I liked this episode and watching Beth learn to let people help her and being forced out of her comfort zone in many different ways. I hope that in the end, she is able to use these hardships, experiences, and friends to achieve her final goal of beating Borgov.

Episode 5 of The Queen’s Gambit is all about how Beth deals with and comes back from her defeat against Borgov. The episode opens with a flashback to when she was a young child with her biological mother, and it serves to show us how far she has come and that she has continued to push forward in other parts of her life outside of chess, something we could all use a reminder of from time to time.

Much of the episode is spent with Beth learning and improving with help from her friends. Harry Beltik spends several days helping to train her before eventually insisting he is no longer able to help her. Then Benny humiliates Beth in a number of rounds of speed chess before later losing to her in the tournament. Beth’s repeated losses against Benny is really important because it drives home the point that she can lose when she so often talks as if she can’t. Though it is a tough pill for her to swallow, it is crucial if she wants to defeat Borgov. This is also a great lesson for anyone: if you’re overconfident about something, the only way to improve is for someone to show you you’re wrong first.

In this week, we watched Beth move in with Harry, and also break up with him due to her obsession with chess. In this episode, I realized how often alcoholism is portrayed in the 60s. I didn’t watch Mad Men, but I’ve seen clips of the show. In Made Men, almost every episode is accompanied by some discussion of drinking scotch and smoking cigarettes. I’ve noticed a similar trend in Queen’s Gambit. In every episode, there is at least one character shown drinking to the point of alcoholism. It’s interesting to me because most modern day shows don’t portray alcohol consumption in the same way. It almost seems like alcohol was a part of the 60s. Even shows like Stranger Things, set in the 80s, don’t show alcohol in quite the same way. It could be argued that it’s because Beth is mature, but I’d say it actually points to an evolution in the American culture. I think people are a lot more careful in how and when they drink. It’s almost like after that period of time, drinking became more of a shameful activity in certain circles.

For this week’s discussion on episode 5 of “The Queen’s Gambit”, we discussed what the significance of the word “fork,” which was the title of the episode. One thing that was revealed to me was that the word can mean many things depending on the context. first, the word “fork” in terms of chess, means to attack two pieces at the same time, meaning one can be saved but the other cannot. In terms of life, a fork can mean two different life choices, as in a “fork in the road” which can be both literal and figurative. In the episode, both forms of the word “fork” were used. When Beth was playing speed chess, a fork was played in one of the matches, and she was also presented with two different forks in her life. First, she had to choose between two men. It was shown that she was attracted to two different men in the episode, so she had to choose wo to be with. The other fork was that she had to choose between a normal life and a life of chess. The episode focuses around Beth’s obsession with chess, and reveals that she is so obsessed with it that she pushes everyone around her away in an effort to keep learning, so she can’t make any meaningful connections. She must choose for herself whether she wants to pursue this career in chess and have her entire life dedicated to chess, or to have some fun while doing it.

This week’s episode of the Queen’s Gambit can be viewed as an extension of the plot twist established at the end of the previous one. Dealing with her adoptive mother’s death was no easy feat for Beth. Throughout the episode, we were able to observe her different coping strategies as well as contrast the version of herself that she shows to the public vs her actual emotional state. One of the discussion questions presented at the session was about Beth taking Alice’s advice about being alone and how she copes with her own loneliness. I believe her reliance on substances and other people throughout the whole episode depicts the fact that she is strongly fighting or even ignoring this loneliness as much as she can. The main takeaways from this episode, in my opinion, were the fine line between the definitions of independence and loneliness. In some ways, Beth was independent in the sense that she owned her own home and did not have to economically rely on other people (husband or family). However, her invisible ties to those around her were strengthening even more throughout the episode.

I was super excited to watch episode 5 of Queen’s Gambit as I really enjoyed watching the fourth episode a couple of week ago. For this episode, I think the theme of this week’s episode is related to relationships. More specifically, we see that Beth reconnects with old classmates and, even at some point, both were in a relationship. I think Beth is particularly upset in that it seems as if for those who she cares about, they seem to turn their backs/leave her. For example, Benny, to a certain degree, gave Beth an ultimatum in that Beth’s passion and competitive drive in being a great chess player will always come first before him. For this reason, Benny decides to leave her although his opinion seems to be one-side and he did not seem to care about her reaction to their breakup. Overall, I hope Beth becomes comfortable with who she and surrounds herself by people who love her back by the end of the series.

Last Saturday, I watched Episode 5 of the Queen’s Gambit.  To be completely honest, this was my first time attending one of the Queen’s Gambit’s showings, and jumping in halfway through, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect.  However, I was still able to understand most of what was going on, and I still found it very interesting.  Maybe it’s time for me to go catch up on the other four episodes before the showing of Episode 6, so I can enjoy it even more!

I thought the short discussion after the showing was a good idea.  It wasn’t too long to feel intrusive; it was just short enough to make sure everyone was on the same page about what was going on in that episode.  We also clarified a few concepts during that time such as what a fork in chess is, which was pretty relevant considering it was the name of the episode.  Since it appeared in both a metaphorical and a literal sense during the episode, this clarification was very helpful.

(Originally posted 4/9/21 on the Fall 2020 blog)

The speed chess matches reminded me of the Rose speed chess meet. Going to that event made it make more sense why it would’ve been frustrating for Beth and why she kept losing, even though she was a great chess player and won the next day. The different approach to the game plus the pressures she was under could have made it more difficult for her. It surprised me that Beth kept asking to play again and again though. She is very insistent in wanting to keep playing despite having a match the next day and losing a lot of money. It’s possible that she just wanted to see Benny’s strategies in chess, but if she didn’t intend to lose, then it shows her persistence in wanting to prove her chess skills.

This episode of the Queen’s Gambit focused on Beth reacting to Alma’s death. It was really sad watching her come home to an empty house. She felt so lonely that she invited Beltik, who was very rude and dismissive when they first met, over to her home. She even asked him to stay for a while. Their relationship was really awkward in my opinion. There was no chemistry and I don’t think Beth really liked him. I think she just wanted to fill the emptiness. The relationship fell apart really quickly when Beltik realizes that Beth will always prioritize chess. However, his little speel when they broke up was uncalled for in my opinion. He could have encouraged her to get help, but he basically told her that she was doomed. I did not like Beltik at all; he was always very condescending. The episode got better when Beth is reunited with Benny at a tournament. It was really funny to see Benny challenge Beth to a series of rounds and beat her, making her run out of money. However, ultimately, Beth beats Benny in the championship and becomes the U.S. champion. The episode ends with the two of them talking and Benny noticing how much Beth drinks. I’m glad someone noticed and showed concern. He then offers to then train her for the big tournament and she agrees. I am so excited to see their relationship develop and to see Beth grow as a chess player.

In this episode of the Queen’s Gambit, it was interesting to see the change in Beth’s character following Alma’s death. From the previous episodes, we have been exposed to the strange but still somewhat warm relationship between the two women. For Beth, being alone/not having a supportive person by her side was the norm, but with Alma there, she grew to feel the mother-daughter bond. Despite Beth’s independence shown throughout the show, it becomes more evident following Alma’s death how dependent Beth really is. From her moment with Harry to her growing reliance on alcohol and cigarettes, Beth is always looking for someone or something to lean on. Additionally, it is clear to the audience that Beth is obsessed with chess in an unhealthy way that makes her unable to control her emotions when she is consumed with the game. Therefore, after that wake-up call from Harry, I am curious to see if her training with Benny will change Beth for the better. 

In the previous episode, we saw that Beth is obsessed with chess, where she barely has any connections with other people. However, in this episode, Beth started to form attachment with her boyfriend.  This could be good in terms of her well-being given that she has someone to talk to. However, on the flip side, it could be detrimental as well since Beth is still young and gaining independence. It might be the best time for her to strive independence and learn to navigate life without her adopted mother.

For Beth, chess is something she invested her whole life in since she discovered and reconnected with it. Beth’s unwavering love for chess is leading down a path of infatuation and destruction. It is no doubt that she is an underdog in the world of chess and her road to becoming a grandmaster is garnering attention from those outside of it. Although it can be considered admirable, I believe her drive to be great is becoming an obsession and this is where the line separating destruction and determination has been crossed. My takeaway from this episode is that, the title “Fork” is symbolic of a split within Beth as she continues to navigate through the channels the chess games take her. Will she succumb to the obsession and continue to destroy herself and relationships or will she be able to set boundaries for herself and not fall victim to her own madness?

The 5th episode of the series brought with it a new upward swing to the overall plot. Coming out of episode 4, Beth is forced into independence by the loss of her mother. During this period, she begins to learn more about herself and her relationship with her emotions. She displays a detachedness when faced with intimacy, and recklessness in a state of frustration. In addition to Beth’s exploration of how her emotions affect her, it also becomes clear that Beth’s ability as a chess player has continued to grow, as signified by her winning the chess tournament at the end of the film.

The fifth installment of The Queen’s Gambit continues to be enticing. Adding on Beth’s character development, this episode focuses on Beth developing her chess career now in the absence of her mother, who although not being an ideal figure for support, was there for Beth nonetheless. In this episode, I enjoyed watching Beth embark on new friendships with Harry and Benny. It was interesting to see how she transitioned from being very reserved at the beginning of each friendship to opening up down the line. This relationship dynamic is the opposite of her and the janitor at the orphanage which I find interesting; it seems as if she could have learned from his stoic nature not to be that sort of person. I was disappointed to see Harry leave because I thought that the two made a good team, but I understand that Beth had exceeded his chess capabilities to a point where it no longer was lucrative for him to be involved in her training and would perhaps poise as a hindrance if he stayed around. I am interested to see how Beth and Benny work together in New York in future episodes.

In this week’s episode, Beth is now independent for the first time. She is also at a different point in her life than other young girls might be, as indicated by the interaction with her former classmate.

Thanks to her friend Harry, Beth is finally given a reality check, as she believes she is unbeatable. However, this confidence can also be the reason she loses, as Harry discovered her nerves can cause her to lose sight of the bigger picture during a game. Thanks to his insight, Beth is able to win the US State Championship and will start to work towards playing in the Moscow Invitational.

“The Queen’s Gambit” episode 5 was definitely not like the others. I missed the previous episode, but caught up after reading a synopsis online. I think the turning point of the series was in episode 4 when Alma dies, so I definitely felt a change in the characters and tone of the episode, especially Beth. I noticed so much more emotion, especially subtle emotions hidden behind silence and lack of action whenever Beth interacted with others. For example, when Harry confronts Beth about her personality being like a certain paranoid chess player because he found out about her tranquilizer abuse, Beth seems to go through so many emotions, subtly visible through her face, that are a bit unreadable and makes me wonder what she’s thinking. Also, when Margaret bumps into Beth, Beth says something that makes Magaret almost look offended, but I’m not exactly sure what she’s thinking.

At the end of the discussion, my group talked about how Beth’s emotions are visible on the chessboard and in real life, and we noticed that she gets very invested and emotional when it comes to chess, sometimes letting her anger and other feelings get the best of her, and taking the game too personally when she should be objectively analyzing the game. On the other hand, she’s less in tune with emotions in real life and isn’t really aware of other’s emotions when they’re with her, for example, her relationship with Harry, and him feeling like she doesn’t exactly care for him, but rather just wants to play chess. She also takes on more forms of substance abuse to cope with her problems: Alma’s cigarette addiction, and alcoholism.

Episode 5 elicited some less than happy and optimistic feelings for the series’ characters. Beth and Harry having a bit of a romance this episode showed both Beth’s level of growth and the necessity for more in the future. She still has difficulty showing any connection or focus outside of chess, which was evident when she read a book about chess after they had sex. 

I think this is all emblematic of the way that some people in the world are too caught up in a dream or their work to form actual, real relationships with individuals around them. Unfortunately, I see this around me often in the world now, on social media especially. The craze to be popular online has led many people to bury their noses in their phones and turn away people in the real world. Even worse, I know that I am guilty of this to a degree and can learn a great deal what to work on in my own life from this episode.

In this episode, we saw how much anger and obsession is in Beth. Her chess moves are still spontaneous and she gets angry when her opponent does something she doesn’t see coming. Harry Beltik moves in, offering help. We quickly sees that Harry has romantic feelings for Beth, but it is unclear if Beth feels the same way for him. They have sex, but Beth reads a chess book afterwards. Other times, Harry will try to initiate a conversation not about chess, but Beth only wants to talk about chess. Towards the middle of the episode, they play a game but Beth gets angry when Harry doesn’t understand why he has to make a certain move and this point is significant because Harry understands that Beth only cares about chess, so he decides to move out. Before he leaves, he tells her about a chess player who was brilliant, but was also an alcoholic and eventually retired at 22. This is eerie because we see Beth become that chess player as she continues taking the tranquilizers and drinks a lot. Beth’s emotions are still hard to read because it’s clear that she’s hurt when she sees Harry leave, but ultimately she still does self sabotage. I think it’ll be interesting to see if we will see more of Harry in the future and if Benny with be a positive or negative influence on Beth in New York.

In this week’s episode of “The Queen’s Gambit,” it was really interesting to see how Beth’s personal relationships affected how she plays chess. It surprised me when Harry offered to train Beth. I thought it was bittersweet when Harry admitted he didn’t love chess as much as he used to. This was a reminder to me that some interests or hobbies in our lives are only temporary, which is perfectly alright; in Beth’s case, however, I hope she doesn’t lose her drive for chess since she is very talented. Another point I thought was interesting was how Beth’s view of herself as unbeatable affects the way she plays chess; her hubris makes her worse at the game. This allows her opponents to easily get inside her head, like how Benny took a lot of money from Beth through speed chess. As a side note, I thought it was really impressive how the actors memorized which moves to make because those moves all had to happen in quick succession. I can’t imagine how many takes they had to go through or how much time they put into practicing that sequence. Overall, I’m excited to see what happens next in the Moscow Invitational in future episodes.

Beth has changed. Her actions have become more frivolously and her social behaviors are lax. At first, I thought Beth had loosened up; she was not so cautious around others and was willing to hang out with other people. But what I quickly realized was that Beth was putting up barriers. Her words masked her loneliness, focusing solely on chess and avoiding any means of hanging out with others outside of chess. I could not help but see a piece of myself. I understand the pain of wanting to desperately be alone. It is easy to succumb to what brings you joy at the expense of your relationships. But this only perpetuates feelings of loneliness. The person you lost does not need to be replaced by another person’s presence; however, leaning on others and finding healthy ways to be happy and content are important. Both of Beth’s chess opponents (and friends?) Harry and Benny warn her of the self-destructive tendencies she holds. Beth is someone who thrives off her emotions. If she continues letting her negative feelings consume her, she will learn to take care of herself in the worst ways possible. Alice, Beth’s biological mother, was right: Beth did end up alone. She does not have a support system, yet I am hopeful that Beth’s move to New York will do her some good. Whether there is more bad before we see the good is what I fear the most.

In this episode of The Queen’s Gambit, we see a marked change in Beth’s behavior, as she suddenly starts pursuing romantic relationships. On the surface, it seems positive that Beth, who has never really had any friends (aside from her adoptive mother) or close relationships, is finally starting to make connections with other people. However, the detached way in which Beth regards her boyfriends indicates that they are likely nothing more than a way for Beth to handle her newfound grief over her mother’s death. This unhealthy way of dealing with emotions will probably lead to further complications in Beth’s life, or at the very least will make her relationships unfulfilling.

I attended the screening of episode 5 of “The Queen’s Gambit” and it aligned with the book in a much more lighthearted way. In the book, after Mrs. Wheatley’s death, Beth goes on a bender. She drinks heavily and becomes reliant on drinking to get her through her difficult time. In this episode, we don’t really see much of that, but we know that Beth is still taking the tranquilizers. So in the book, she doesn’t really take on her newfound independence well, but she does in the show. She appears to even judge a woman she used to go to school with for drinking while taking care of a baby (which is probably fair considering the potential consequences) and so I feel that in the show she is shown as more wise and in control of herself.

Something else that I thought about was how socially stunted Beth sort of was in her life and how this has caused her to not really connect with people properly. This was clear with Beltik in the show, as he seemed to try to have some sort of a relationship with her but she wasn’t really conveying her thoughts and feelings in an open way. I think that he does help her become more open and he definitely helped her get through some of the loneliness and grief she was feeling after the passing of Mrs. Wheatley.

Beth is obsessed with chess, and it gets in the way of her relationships. Chess is her number one priority, and her only purpose in life for the most part, so she doesn’t see a need to form attachments with other people. This is, of course, a dangerous path for Beth, and I wonder as the episodes progress whether we will see Beth learn to prioritize chess less. But for now, given how Beth is already addicted to pills and has few friends, any future trauma might send her into a full-blown breakdown and I’m not sure if there will be anyone there to help her recover. On the flip side, since Beth is young and still gaining independence, it might be the best time for her to not have a romantic partner so that she can concentrate on learning to navigate life without her adopted mother.