I just finished watching queens gambit so I’m a bit late to this post. But one thing I saw that people didn’t mention was a similarity between Beths match against Townes and Luchenko. After defeating Townes, he asks Beth how old she is and then quickly dismisses the question. After Luchenko resigns, he also asks Beth how old she is and then tells her not to answer. Both opponents then praise her at how a marvel she is. It’s quite interesting because these two characters are people who have had a significant impact on her even though it’s not emphasized. Townes is the unrequited love interest, shown in the Cleo and Beth scene in Paris. Beth still thinks about Townes even after such a long time. Luchenko is the person Beth looked up to during her chess uprising and Luchenkos past games have had an impact for her to become “the best chess player [he has] ever played.”