Middle Game

The Queen's Gambit 1×4

Beth Harmon: Do you play?
Tim: No, too cerebral. Played a lot of Monopoly, though.
Beth Harmon: Never played that game.
Tim: Mm, don't. It makes you a slave to capitalism. I-I still dream about making money, though.
Beth Harmon: So, why are you taking Russian classes if you're a slave to capitalism?
Tim: Mmm. I wanna read Dostoevsky in the original.

Alice Harmon: I think it's the culture. There's no hint of a Protestant ethic in Mexico. They're all Latin Catholics, and they all live in the here and now.
Beth Harmon: You really need to stop reading Alan Watts. It's annoying.

Alice Harmon: You know, perhaps, Beth, you have to work on yourself. Chess is not all there is.
Beth Harmon: It's what I know.
Alice Harmon: My experience has taught me what you know isn't always what's important.
Beth Harmon: And what's important?
Alice Harmon: Living and growing. Living your life.
Beth Harmon: With a sleazy Mexican salesman.
Alice Harmon: Treating yourself. Adventure...

Mr. Shaibel: People like you have a hard time. Two sides of the same coin. You've got your gift… and you've got what it costs.

Mr. Shaibel: Hard to say for you what that will be. You'll have your time in the sun, but for how long? You've got so much anger in you. You'll have to be careful.

Beth Harmon: How old were you when you started playing?
Georgi Girev: Four. I was district champion at seven. I will be world champion one day.
Beth Harmon: When?
Georgi Girev: In three years.
Beth Harmon: You'll be 16 in three years. If you win… What will you do next?
Georgi Girev: I-I don't understand.
Beth Harmon: If you're world champion at 16… What will you do with the rest of your life?

Russian # 1: Her game is almost all attack. So she doesn't always watch her back.
Russian # 2: When she blunders, she gets angry, and can be dangerous.
Russian # 1: Like all women.
Borgov: She's an orphan. A survivor. She's like us... Losing is not an option for her. Otherwise, what would her life be?

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