“Luchenko’s the oldest player here,” the tournament announcer says. “He was World Champion before Elizabeth Harmon was born. He defeated the great Alekhine in an exhibition when he was a boy, played to a draw with Botvinnik and crushed Bronstein in Havana.

And while he’s no longer the tiger he once was, he’s a dangerous player when allowed to attack. Harmon will have to be very careful.”Earlier in the series, Beth overheard the Russian team discussing how her game was all attack, which means her defense is lacking.Luchenko was first mentioned in “The Queen’s Gambit” in episode five, when Harry Beltik told Beth to study his games against Borgov in 1962.

In that same episode, Benny Watts told Beth she attacks just like Alekhine, the same player who Luchenko beat when he was a boy. Then we see that Luchenko is playing white, meaning he’s able to move his pieces first, therefore having the advantage over Beth.

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