The Queen’s Gambit – Accepted!
by Jonathan Arnott and Rosie Irwin
A Review by Ben Graff
“We want to encourage a new generation to take up chess. We want more women and more young people to get inspired by this wonderful game.”
Rosie Irwin and Jonathan Arnott
How have you spent your time in lockdown? Rosie Irwin, energised by watching The Queen’s Gambit, has been working on her chess with Candidate Master Jonathan Arnott. The Queen’s Gambit – Accepted! is an unusual and refreshingly brave account of Rosie’s progress, both at and away from the board.
There are many books out there which are designed to introduce juniors to chess. Far fewer which are told from the point of view of a female adult learner. The Queen’s Gambit – Accepted! shares both Rosie and Jonathan’s perspectives as pupil and coach, as Rosie steps through the basics and grows in confidence, strength, and experience.
Perhaps Rosie and Jonathan’s coaching partnership came at an opportune moment. Jonathan had some interesting projects underway, but “…was basically sitting around at home during lockdown. When Rosie wanted some help with her chess, I actually had some spare time available.”
Meanwhile, Rosie had seen her Lichess rating collapse to 340 and feared she “… was in danger of finding out whether or not it’s humanly possible for a … four-digit rating to fall to zero.” She “…sent Jonathan a message on Facebook, basically asking for a bit of help.” Chess as ever, has that capacity to bring people closer together.
While “… the thought of writing a book… didn’t even cross my [Rosie’s] mind,” ultimately The Queen’s Gambit – Accepted! took shape. A compilation that offers both an opportunity for the reader to share in Rosie and Jonathan’s friendship and a chance for those who are newer to the game to develop their skills.
One of the things I most liked about The Queen’s Gambit – Accepted! is Rosie’s honesty and openness. Life has not always been easy for her. Affected by past trauma, Rosie also has Asperger’s. Yet she is quick to recognise the positive role that chess comes to play in her life. “I can sometimes panic in social situations. Too many people, too much crowding, can be a problem. On 64 squares, nothing else matters. It’s all there, in black and white, no distractions.”
Rosie goes on to note that “Chess is bringing me self-confidence. Do I still have anxiety? Yes, of course I do. But it’s given me a focus, something to help me – and a place where I know what the rules are.” It takes guts for anyone to go into print and Rosie should be proud that not only has she done so, but that her writing is also lucid, compelling, and accessible.
Jonathan Arnott’s background as a strong player and professional communicator also shines through. The way in which The Queen’s Gambit – Accepted! is set out will enable anyone learning about the game to get a good sense of what is important, to understand key patterns and concepts and to leave with lots of helpful advice as to how to improve further.
Jonathan is particularly good at helping newer players to understand the meaning behind key chess ideas and is insightful on a wide range of topics, including managing exchanges, and explaining why for those who are just starting out, learning openings by rote can prove to be a recipe for disaster. His style is very sympathetic, and I have no doubt that others will improve by following his suggestions, just as Rosie has.
This is a quite different book to those I usually review, best suited to new players and those up to 1200 strength, from a pure chess perspective. However, anyone who is interested in coaching novices will find this work of value. Likewise, if you know an adult beginner whose interest in chess has been piqued, this could make a nice gift for them. Rosie’s story and the positive way in which she is using chess to enrich her life will also inspire many readers. She is certainly another welcome addition to the growing list of inspiring female chess role models.
Rosie says that “When lockdown is over I’m going to want to head off to a few competitions over the board. I’ll probably be terrified, but I can’t wait. Wish me luck!” I have no doubt that the chess community will join with me in doing that. The Queen’s Gambit – Accepted! has the capacity to welcome many more Rosie’s into our ranks, and as such represents an excellent contribution to our game.