About the book: 2020 / Beth Harmon is a quiet, gloomy and, at first glance, unremarkable eight-year-old girl who is sent to an orphanage after the death of her mother. She is deprived of love and emotional support. Her social circle is another orphan and a caretaker who teaches Beth to play chess, which gradually becomes the meaning of life for her. As she grows up, the young genius begins to abuse tranquilizers and alcohol, thereby escaping from reality. It is only while playing chess that her thoughts become clearer and she is able to regain control. At the age of sixteen, Beth becomes a participant in the US Open Chess Championship. But as she strives to hone her skills on a professional level, the stakes increase, her isolation becomes frightening, and her desire to escape reality becomes more seductive. And the moment comes when she must compete with the best player in the world. Will she be able to win or will she become a victim of her addictions, as has happened in the past??