Clearly based on many elements of the Bobby Fisher story, the big twist being, hey, let's make the main character a woman instead. Obviously a pretty significant (and not so credible) change as no woman has come close to being a world chess champ (eg the current highest rated woman is ranked 84th In the world).

As it is, the series has some good dramatic flow and sense of style. However it made no sense that she has to hustle to find money for her Moscow trip. As huge as Fisher was then, an attractive young woman with Fisher's chess ability would have been an order of magnitude more popular. And the series unfairly caricatured that Christian group who offered to finance her trip. What they were always advocating then was the freedom to practice (or not practice) religion, vs the then Soviet Union's state mandated atheism.

(Also this advertisement photo of her looking directly at opponent looks dumb, and off - real chess players are only focused on the chess board.)