The Queen's Gambit
Walter S. Tevis
Random House Incorporated
<span>When she is sent to 
an orphanage at the age of eight, Beth Harmon soon discovers two ways to
 escape her surroundings, albeit fleetingly: playing chess and taking 
the little green pills given to her and the other children to keep them 
subdued. Before long, it becomes apparent that hers is a prodigious 
talent, and as she progresses to the top of the US chess rankings she is
 able to forge a new life for herself. But she can never quite overcome 
her urge to self-destruct. For Beth, there’s more at stake than merely 
winning and losing.</span>