The way she kept walking away from the board to dance, tap her foot, act all seductive. Was she trying to distract him because she was losing? Was she taking advantage of the fact that the boy possibly had a crush on her? Or did their brief conversation the day before make her realize that he was just a kid like she once was, and she was trying to cheer him up.
shareIt was just Beth being herself. She already knew she would win the adjourned match with the Russian boy because she had played it all out the night before. So she was bored with it and she couldn't help being a superior bitch about it at the same time. Consequently her behaviour during the match was rude and offensive but that's how Beth could be sometimes.
I agree with Quasimodo about the "bored" element as she did study the game, the night before, and probably all the possibilities it could go from there. She covered everything already in her head so she knew how to react and move her pieces in any potential situation.
But more than that, there was provocation in her attitude and it seemed to me that it was even her goal to intimidate him. I had the feeling she was jealous and felt threatened by him (on a deeper, personal level). It's like seeing him exposed an insecurity she still had and then acted immature about it. Sort of a mix between:
"Look where he's already at. He's so fortunate. I wish that was me at the same age."
and
"What? Does that "mini-me" think he's even got a chance against ME? I'M the young chess phenomenon around here. Wait your turn KID!"
I felt bad for the little man. But after her win, with her honor being preserved, she had no reason to keep being a bitch and she had kind words for him. Which was nice.
That's my take on it. Can be wrong too, of course.
That scene was very ambiguous to me.
Even when she was asking him what he wanted to do after chess. I wasn't sure if she was genuinely trying to help him realize that there was more to life. Or if she was just trying to rattle him in a mean-spirited way.
It was ambiguous, indeed.
I think she was being supportive and tried to be helpful more than anything else. I vaguely remember someone asking Beth what she'd do if chess didn't exist (or something like that). And she didn't answer. I think she wanted the boy to think about it because he obviously didn't see anything else but chess! ("I don't understand", he kept saying). The flipside to Beth's chess talent/obsession is the way she copes (drugs and alcohol) with what comes with it and she could foresee that happening to him too, maybe.
So, the boy not being a threat anymore, she has no reason to keep being mean for nothing and, seeing him a mini-Beth, she didn't want him to make the same mistakes she did (and still does). Because if chess goes sideways... what coping mechanism will he use? Will it be self-destructive, like Beth's ? Having more than one interest and more than one goal in life (something she doesn't have) could probably prevent that.
After planting that seed in his mind, she did tell him "You're the best I've ever played". She wouldn't have said that if she was still in a mean state of mind, I think.
It's making me think just now.. it's a bit of how Mr Shaibel was austere and cold with her. But she could still perceive his benevolence. Especially when she asked "You think I'm good?" and he told her "Honestly kid? You're outstanding."
Her attitude with the boy was resembling that since she felt threatened by him, not unlike Mr Shaibel felt threatened by her when she started beating him (he was frustrated at some point). But ultimately he wanted the best for her and acted accordingly.
I also just thought of another thing. The boy was russian. Just like the only player Beth said she was afraid of. Borgov. So maybe that just added up to everything else and contributed to her unsympathetic attitude toward him at first.
All in all, she was inviting him to consider expending his horizons in order to not put all his eggs in the same basket, which could be dangerous, I think.
Based on what the book said about the game; Beth hated Girev for his youth and seriousness so she wanted to crush him. She softened after beating him, knowing how she hated to lose when she was 9 years old.
As far as walking away then moving her piece immediately after Girev made his move, she had studied the game and it was moving along exactly as she had planned. Her foot taping was just nervousness on her part. In the book this was expressed by Beth shaking as she poured herself a glass of water instead of toe tapping.
The actor is Andy Serkis’s son.
She was both jealous and impatient with this chess protege. She could guess he’d make Grand Master at an age younger than her own. That’s why she kept asking him “what do you do after making Grand Master?” as in “so what, you’ll still be a kid with no future.” I thought it paralled her very first tournament game against the girl player. She was impatient and curt with her too, just wanting to get on with it so she could play against the real challenging players. Then she runs into this girl years later and finds out that she is in med school. You see a twinge of envy cross her face. The girl grew up and got on with life while Beth was still playing chess.