Queen of Chess Documentary Chronicles Judit Polgar's Historic Rise Against All Odds
Just over six years after The Queen's Gambit sparked a global chess revival, a new documentary titled Queen of Chess has premiered, delving into the extraordinary life of Judit Polgar, widely regarded as the greatest female chess player in history. Released last week, this film combines real-life footage with a post-punk soundtrack to narrate a story of defiance, genius, and groundbreaking achievement in a sport long dominated by men.
A Trailblazer in a Male-Dominated Arena
For a new generation of chess enthusiasts, Queen of Chess serves as an eye-opening introduction to one of the sport's most influential pioneers. Judit Polgar took a sledgehammer to the glass ceiling in the 1990s and early 2000s, a time when women were often dismissed as incapable of competing at the highest levels. Her career path was remarkably risky, as she predominantly participated in open tournaments, typically being the only woman among a field of male competitors. This approach remains rare even today, with few female players like Divya Deshmukh occasionally venturing into multiple open events annually rather than sticking to women-only competitions.
From Communist Hungary to Chess Prodigy
Judit Polgar was born and raised in Communist Hungary, a nation grappling with Europe's highest suicide rates and rampant inflation that forced many citizens to work multiple jobs just to survive. In these challenging conditions, her father, Laszlo Polgar, embarked on a radical experiment to prove that geniuses could be shaped rather than born. He homeschooled his three daughters—Susan, Sofia, and Judit—in their modest home in the workers' district, dedicating hours each day to chess instruction.
Instead of traditional classrooms, the Polgar household featured a wall adorned with 30 chess boards, each presenting daily puzzles for the girls to solve. Up to three chess trainers rotated in shifts throughout the day, as Laszlo and his daughters relentlessly pursued mastery over the 64 squares. Why chess? As Judit's mother, Klara, explains in the documentary, "The chessboard was simple to have. And cheap too," making it an accessible tool in their resource-limited environment.
Overcoming Societal and Governmental Hurdles
Starting her chess journey at age five, Judit rapidly ascended, validating her father's hypothesis. However, her path was fraught with obstacles. The Hungarian government resisted her international travel for tournaments, and authorities frowned upon the unconventional homeschooling focused intensely on chess. In Queen of Chess, available on Netflix, Klara recounts harrowing incidents where police armed with machine guns would drag the family from bed, threatening imprisonment, commitment to mental asylums, or removal of the children.
Yet, the most significant barrier Judit faced was her gender. The documentary highlights clips of chess legend Bobby Fischer dismissing female players, stating, "Women are terrible chess players... I guess they're just not so smart." In a fitting rebuttal, Judit shattered Fischer's 33-year-old record by becoming the youngest grandmaster in history. She also faced scorn from other greats like Viktor Korchnoi, who derided her as a "coffeehouse player," a term used by Soviet elites to belittle foreign competitors.
Confronting Giants and Making History
A central narrative of the documentary focuses on Judit's quest to defeat Garry Kasparov, often considered the greatest chess player ever. At just 17, she displayed remarkable courage by confronting Kasparov in a hotel lobby after he violated the touch-move rule in their first game. Dirk Jan ten Geuzendam, editor of New In Chess magazine, notes, "What she does is quite admirable... She walks up to Kasparov and asks, 'How could you do this to me?' If you've never seen Kasparov in person, you may not fully appreciate how brave that is, because he's a force!"
Overcoming Kasparov on the board proved even more challenging, but Judit eventually triumphed, resigning him in a historic match. Throughout her career, she defeated numerous top players, including Viswanathan Anand, and broke into the world's top 10 rankings. Queen of Chess stands as a powerful reminder for female athletes to aim high and fearlessly challenge anyone who stands in their way, much like Judit Polgar did throughout her legendary career.
