Georgian Chess Player Nona Gaprindashvili Sues Netflix Over 'The Queen's Gambit' Series

The series claimed she never played against men.

Chess player Nona Gaprindashvili filed a lawsuit in Los Angeles against Netflix over the series The Queen's Gambit. We explain what caused her offense. 

In one episode, a voiceover says that 'chess player Nona Gaprindashvili, women's world champion, never played against men.' This happens in a scene where the main character Beth Harmon takes part in a decisive tournament against men. 

The lawsuit says the statement about Nona is a 'destructive lie that diminishes her achievements before a multimillion-dollar audience.' By 1968 (when the episode is set), she had already played more than 50 male chess players, 10 of whom were grandmasters. 

Nona Gaprindashvili
chess player

They tried to create a fictional character who paves the way for other women, but in reality by that time I had already paved this way and inspired many generations. 

According to her, the claim that she never played against men is 'deliberately false, sexist and degrading.' 

Gaprindashvili was also offended that the series called her a 'Russian chess player.' The lawsuit notes: 'Netflix called her Russian, although it knew she is Georgian and that Georgians suffered from Russian domination when they were part of the Soviet Union.' 

As compensation for damages, the chess player demands $5 million and a retraction of the claim that she never played against men. 

Netflix said it 'respects Gaprindashvili and her brilliant career,' but called her claims baseless and promised to 'vigorously' defend its position in court. 

80-year-old Nona Gaprindashvili became Georgian champion at 15. At 21 she won the women's world championship and successfully defended the title for 16 years (from 1962 to 1978). She is the first woman in chess history to receive the title of international grandmaster among men, in 1978. 

The Queen's Gambit is a dramatic miniseries by American director and screenwriter Scott Frank based on the novel of the same name. At its center is the life of a talented girl, Beth Harmon, who overcomes life's difficulties and strives for success in chess. The lead role is played by Anya Taylor-Joy. 

The series premiered on Netflix in 2020. In the first 28 days after its premiere, 62 million people watched it. In 2021 it won two Golden Globe awards and received 18 Emmy nominations. 

The company said The Queen's Gambit entered the top 10 most popular series in 92 countries and reached first place in 63 countries. According to Rotten Tomatoes, the series received positive reviews from film critics (100%) and audiences (96%).