Thanks to Netflix’s The Queen’s Gambit, chess sets are selling out. According to Goliath Games, sales for their chess sets were up 178% in October compared to the same time last year—then in November, sales spiked 1,048%. Netflix’s fictional period drama The Queen’s Gambit is being credited with the massive increase in chess interest, with eBay also reporting a 215% increase in chess set and accessory sales after the show’s launch. The series premiered at the end of last month and has stayed in the streamer’s top 10 list ever since. While chess has always been “alluring,” experts and real-life grandmasters believe the series has made it “seem accessible” and will continue to boost the game’s global appeal. (NPR, CNN)
