Mieses – Reshevsky
Margate 1935 · Round 7
Famous from "The Queen's Gambit"
This game is mentioned by name in Walter Tevis' novel "The Queen's Gambit" (1983). In the award-winning Netflix series (2020), a position from this game appears in Episode 3 when the character Benny Watts is first introduced. A spectator recognizes the game: "Mieses-Reshevsky. From the thirties." – "You've got it… Nineteen thirty-five."
Samuel Reshevsky (1911–1992)
Born in Poland, Reshevsky was one of the greatest child prodigies in chess history. At just five years old in 1917, he demonstrated remarkable playing strength at the New Vienna Chess Club. By age six, he was playing simultaneous games against multiple adult opponents. He became one of the strongest American players of his generation and remained among the world's elite for over three decades. At the time of this game in Margate 1935, he was 23 years old, while Mieses was already 69.
Tournament: Margate 1935 · Opening: Caro-Kann (B15) · Result: 0-1
Game details and notation
| White | Jacques Mieses |
|---|---|
| Black | Samuel Reshevsky |
| Event | Margate ENG |
| Date | 1 May 1935 |
| Round | 7 |
| Opening | ECO B15 |
| Result | 0–1 |
1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 dxe4 4. Nxe4 Nf6 5. Ng3 e5 6. Be3 exd4 7. Qxd4 Qa5+ 8. Qd2 Bb4 9. c3 Be7 10. Bd3 O-O 11. N1e2 c5 12. Nf5 Bxf5 13. Bxf5 Nc6 14. O-O Rad8 15. Qc2 g6 16. Be4 Nxe4 17. Qxe4 Rfe8 18. Qc2 c4 19. b4 Qc7 20. Rfd1 Ne5 21. Bf4 Bd6 22. Nd4 Nf3+ 23. Nxf3 Bxf4 24. g3 Bh6 25. a4 Bg7 26. b5 Qc5 27. Rac1 Rd5 28. Rxd5 Qxd5 29. Nd4 Bxd4 30. cxd4 Re4 31. Rd1 Rxd4 32. Rxd4 Qxd4 33. Kf1 Kf8 34. a5 Qd3+ 35. Qe2 Qxe2+ 36. Kxe2 Ke7 37. Ke3 Kd6 38. Kd4 c3 39. Kxc3 Kc5 40. b6 axb6 0-1
Notation in English algebraic form, as in the viewer.
The Novel (1983)
Walter Tevis, a "Class C" player and English literature professor at Ohio University, published the novel "The Queen's Gambit" in 1983. The Mieses–Reshevsky game is mentioned in Chapter 5, when protagonist Beth Harmon meets US Champion Benny Watts, who is analyzing a position from this game.
A spectator recognizes the game as "Mieses-Reshevsky. From the thirties." Benny confirms: "You've got it… Nineteen thirty-five." The game is described as a "dazzling game." Tevis was advised on the chess scenes by National Master Bruce Pandolfini.
The Netflix Series (2020)
The adaptation starring Anya Taylor-Joy as Beth Harmon became one of Netflix's most successful series (68 million households in the first 28 days). In Episode 3, the character Benny Watts (Thomas Brodie-Sangster) is introduced while analyzing a position from the Mieses–Reshevsky game.
Former World Champion Garry Kasparov and chess coach Bruce Pandolfini served as consultants for the chess scenes.
Mieses opened with 1.e4, to which Reshevsky responded with the solid Caro-Kann Defense (1...c6) – a rather positional opening that led to a strategic battle.
In the middlegame, both sides exchanged the heavy pieces. The resulting endgame was decisive: Reshevsky exploited his better pawn structure and created a passed pawn on the c-file that could not be stopped.
Mieses played at Margate 1935 as a 69-year-old against the world's elite, including former World Champion José Raúl Capablanca (tournament winner), Samuel Reshevsky, and Sir George Thomas.
Game Statistics
Margate 1935 was a strong international tournament with former World Champion José Raúl Capablanca as the winner, followed by Reshevsky and Sir George Thomas.
Mieses was the oldest participant in the tournament at 69 years of age. At this time, he was already living in England, having emigrated from Nazi Germany in 1938.