The final match between Beth and Borgov is based on a real game played by Vassily Ivanchuk and Patrick Wolff at the Biel Interzonal in 1993. In the show, the moves from the first day of the match (prior to the adjournment) follow the actual game that was played. The second day's action was altered to heighten the drama - the actual match in 1993 ended in a draw.
The episode is dedicated "In memory of Iepe Rubingh 1974 - 2020.". Rubingh was a Dutch performance artist, athlete and the founder of chess boxing and World Chess Boxing Organisation (WCBO, with central Berlin, Germany in 2003).
In the final scene, as she walks through an urban park, Beth is dressed all in white. Complete with a white domed hat consisting of series of soft peaks and a single huge pompom in the middle of its top. In short, she's dressed as if she's a white queen chess-piece come to life. The coat's belt even gives the shape of the chess piece's middle. By this point, the viewers should know the queen's gambit is an opening is played by white. One can't help but suspect this is a winking choice by Beth as a character, or one added by the costume designers. In either case, a well chosen final costume to close the series.
Mr. Shaibel's copy of "Original Chess Openings" is the 1946 7th Edition by R.C. Griffith and J.H. White, completely revised by Walter Korn under the editorship of R.C. Griffith and P.W. Sergeant., published by David McKay of Philadelphia and printed by Pitman Press of Bath, UK.
The episode 5 Emmy Awards for Outstanding Cinematography for a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie, Outstanding Period Costumes, Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie, Outstanding Sound Editing for a Limited or Anthology Series, Movie or Special and Outstanding Music Composition for a Limited or Anthology Series, Movie or Special (Original Dramatic Score).