I don't own The Queen's Gambit. I know it was a book before the netflix miniseries but I can't recall who wrote the book.
"He's Benny Watts"
Benny Watts. American champion with chess. Or he was until Beth beat him. Benny was many things then just being a really good chess player.
Something that Beth always liked about him is that he understood her in ways that other chess players couldn't. To players like Harry, she was too obsessed with chess. Those sixty four black and white squares.
He didn't even think when she'd asked if he ever played out games in his head when he was alone. His response was to ask if everybody did that. If she was obsessed with chess then so was he.
He was even a good teacher. Beth could recall the long nights in that new york basement apartment. The laughs. The speed chess. She'd be up against Borgov in Paris and he decided to help her prepare.
She went to Paris and she lost the match. Beth remembered anger of course filling her. But she also felt deep shame over her loss. It was partially because of this that she never ended up going back to new york after Paris. Back to Benny.
Instead Beth had gone back home and went into a downward spiral of alcohol and drugs. Then Jolene showed up and let her know that Mr. Shaible, the old man who had started her on the path of a professional chess player, had died.
She was shocked but when it set in she was crushed. She'd wanted nothing more then to call Benny. Hear his voice but she didn't. He'd told her not to call anymore.
Beth broke down completely when she realized the old janitor had kept tabs on her even after she got adopted. It killed her. She'd never gone to see him and she regretted that now.
Now she's facing Borgov again and he calls for an adjournment. Nerves fill Beth. She was in Russia alone. Or she was until Townes showed up. They'd gone up to her room and talked till she fell asleep.
Townes woke her up and had even made some coffee for her when the phone rang. She'd informed him of not being allowed to answer her phone.
"I'll get it. Drink your coffee." Townes told her as she sat up and sipped her coffee. "Yes? Put him through."
Beth took another sip when she hears Townes speak again. "You all there? I'll put her on." Beth looked at Townes as he pulled the phone away from his ear. She got up and walked over, taking the phone putting it to her ear.
"Hello?"
"If he goes for the knight hit him with a king rook pawn."
Shock filled Beth for a few moments before giving way to joy. She knew that familiar voice.
"Benny?"
"If he goes for the bishop do the same thing but open up your queen five."
It was so good to hear his voice. And then to find out it wasn't just him there but her other friends too.
She won the match. She was now a grandmaster after beating Borgov. That all lead her to where she was now. In new york standing outside Benny's door. Beth took a deep breath and knocked.
She heard the door being unlocked before the door opened. Her brown eyes met Benny's own brown ones. "Why hello Benny." She said, mimicking the last time they played each other in a tournament.
Benny's lips twitched, his mind clearly going back to said tournament. "Why hello Beth."
His tall frame stepped aside and Beth entered the apartment with her luggage. It may not be perfect but she could still make amends.