As a moments page, no spoilers will be marked.
- It's easy to miss, but throughout the show, the chess board that Beth keeps seeing on the ceiling is the exact same board that she and Mr. Shaibel used to play on. Even though they only knew each other for a short period of time, the old custodian clearly left a mark on Beth's life.
- A small one in the second episode, when Beth competes in her first chess tournament. Her first opponent is a slightly older girl who's friendly towards her and is nice enough to explain things when she asks about how timed games work. When Beth later gets her first period during another match and the same girl finds her in the bathroom, she's immediately sympathetic and gives her a pad, offering to show her how to use it. Beth is too embarrassed she doesn't know how, but still, it's sweet to see a girl she didn't even know being so nice to her.
- She shows up again, coming to a local tournament years later just to see Beth play. She says she's always remembered Beth, and considers herself proud to be the first tournament opponent Beth ever beat.
- Mrs. Wheatley keeping Beth, even after her husband abandons the both of them.Mrs. Wheatley: Though I'm no longer a wife, except by a legal fiction, I believe I can learn to be a mother.
- At the end of Episode 3, when Beth is dealing with the double heartbreak of her first major loss at chess and the realization that Townes is gay, she grips Mrs. Wheatley's hand in the taxi, and Mrs. Wheatley grips it back, indicating the two have truly forged a mother-daughter bond.
- Mrs. Wheatley giving Beth a watch with a loving inscription on the back. Although it becomes something of a Tragic Keepsake after she dies, Beth always wears it to every match, even after she scratches it and renders it useless.
- In Episode 7, all of Beth's friends--Harry, Benny, the twins, Hilton, and Arthur--band together to give her multiple options to use against her match with Borgov. Beth is visibly and audibly touched to hear from them, to the point of being teary-eyed.
- Afterwards, when Townes calls them to announce the results, Harry excitedly screams "SHE WON!!!!!" and the whole group starts jumping and hugging one another, clearly proud of their friend.
- Again in Episode 7, Beth returns to Methuen after Mr. Shaibel's death and, out of curiosity, decides to visit the basement where they used to play. It's then revealed that he has been keeping track of all her achievements all along, via newspaper and magazine clippings. Although its crossed with a Tearjerker when she sees the only picture she has of them and breaks down, it's this tiny act that finally forces Beth to stay sober and start taking her Moscow tournament seriously.
- The crowd that amasses in front of the hall to encourage Beth and celebrate her victories. It grows bigger and bigger in every round. Beth is absolutely delighted.
- It doubles as an awesome moment, but Luchenko calling Beth a "marvel" and the best chess player he has ever played definitely counts as a heartwarming one as well. When she shyly tries to dismiss his claims, he stops her and says that "[she] will get used to [compliments]," indicating that he sees a very bright career ahead of her.
- Keep in mind that Luchenko is one of Beth's idols. As she says, she has been playing his games since she was a little girl, and now, she has bested him in a match and received the highest of compliments from him to boot.
- When the match ends, Luchenko gives her a respectful bow and walks away with a contented smile, leaving a stunned Beth behind.
- When Beth beats Borgov in the finale, Luchenko can be seen smiling in the audience.
- Borgov also takes his own loss very well, congratulating Beth and even hugging her when she wins.
- A small one, but Townes gently waking up Beth with coffee just the way she likes it on the morning of her big match. Prior to this, their reunion definitely counts as well, with her hugging him the moment he shows up.
- At the end Beth is walking through a Russian park filled with older men playing chess. When one of them recognizes her, everyone stops their matches and gets up to shake her hand, joyfully greeting her. They don't care that an American beat a Russian champion; to them, she is just an amazing player that they are really happy to meet and see play in person.
- Beth has been struggling for years by this point with the question of what will become of her once she achieves her goal and becomes the best in the world. These old men playing chess in the park for sheer love of the game are an answer, and a future.
- Besides the watch, there are numerous keepsakes of Alma's that Beth keeps an honors after her death. She comforts herself by wrapping herself in Alma's coat after her loss to Benny at speed chess, and also wears the coat when she confronts Mr. Wheatly. When she gazes at her suite in Russia and whispers, "This will do nicely," those were the words that Alma said at their comparatively modest suite their first time on the road.
- Beth insisting that the reporters mention Mr. Shaibel in their articles.
