Chess is in the middle of a digital renaissance and that includes right here in Montgomery County.
“The Queen’s Gambit” started streaming in October and it’s already Netflix’s “biggest limited scripted series ever.” The show follows an unlikely hero, Beth Harmon, who goes from orphan to a fashion-forward chess prodigy, who proves chess is cool.
Three weeks after the show’s debut on Oct. 23, sales for chess sets and books skyrocketed, according to data from U.S. Retail Tracking Service.
MyMCM spoke to Ross Pancoast, a coach for the Gaithersburg family owned business C&O Family Chess Center, about the rise in chess’ popularity during the pandemic.