Board to be Wild Reviews:
Netflix Queen's Gambit THE BOARD GAME!

If you’ve seen the recent Netflix hit series, then you’d be forgiven for thinking that surely a board game based on the series would just be chess. However, there are two interesting twists introduced by this game: you can play with up to 4 players, and you only have 1 piece that you can move, which you pre-program!

On your turn:

  • You reveal the first of your three pre-programed cards in your facedown row, and your piece becomes the revealed piece (rook, knight, bishop or queen). 
  • You’re then able to make one move, ideally taking the highest value token on the board, and potentially ruining the plans your opponents have been making. 
  • Finally, you program your next move, and draw a new card.

Things we missed:

  • More of a link to the series (pictures, story, drugs etc.)
  • It was odd that you could set the tokens to either side (black or white)
  • Scenarios could easily have been from historic chess games

Things we could have done without:

  • Using that ONE picture from the show everywhere

Things that were just right:

  • The brightly coloured wooden player pieces, individually wrapped in crinkle paper
  • Low rules overhead, so you can get it to the table fast
  • The compelling chess puzzle incorporating programming your moves
  • Game does not outstay its welcome

Overall, this fast-paced filler game feels like a fun chess puzzle, and may even be a good way to introduce new players to chess.

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