Netflix has called for the lawsuit to be dropped as it claims the series is a work of art and its creators are given a wide-ranging artistic license by law.

However, California District Court judge disagreed.

According to the judge, the fact that the series is fictional does not protect Netflix from liability for defamation.

Georgian chess player Nona Gaprindashvili filed a lawsuit against Netflix in September last year. According to them, the case concerns the phrase voiced in the TV series The Queen's Gambit that Nona Gaprindashvili has never faced a male chess player. According to Gaprindashvili's lawyer, the Georgian chess player is demanding USD 5 million from the American company in exchange for damages.