The Queen’s Gambit was fiction — but Judit Polgár’s story was real.
At just 17, she faced Garry Kasparov — the world’s No.1 and the most powerful man in chess.
What followed would change the game forever.
In the 1980s, the idea that a woman could compete with men was laughed at.
Fischer said women were “terrible.” Kasparov claimed they were “weaker fighters.”
Then came a family from Budapest who decided to prove the world wrong.
Their father, László Polgár, believed geniuses are made, not born.
So he raised his three daughters — Susan, Sofia, and Judit — to test that theory.
The result? A revolution.
By the time Judit was 15, she had won the Hungarian Championship. By 25, she had beaten every living World Champion — including Kasparov, Anand, and Karpov — and reached World No. 8, the only woman ever to do so.
Video excerpt courtesy of 64 Squares,”Kasparov thought women could not play chess.” retrieved from Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IjbfUpx4iGk
Video excerpt courtesy of 4 the Win,”Judit Polgar vs Veselin Topalov 2005 FIDE World Championship Tournament” retrieved from Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mbOafRc6Xsk
Video excerpt courtesy of PVS,”Judit Polgar vs World Champion Anand in Leon 2000” retrieved from Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eyl1BW25bvI
Video excerpt courtesy of CNN,”Kasparov & Judit Polagr CNN Interview” retrieved from Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OLPwAr9xiX8
Video excerpt courtesy of France Télévisions,”Judit Polgar – l’Europe s’élargit 2004 (Fra)” retrieved from Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CWQ-qZeT11s
Video excerpt courtesy of Judit Polgar,”Global Chess Festival 2015” retrieved from Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8CDttrxWYvQ
Video excerpt courtesy of BBC News,”The ‘Queen of Chess’ who defeated Kasparov – BBC News” retrieved from Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1DgosX9_T2U
Video excerpt courtesy of Channel One (Perviy Kanal),”Judit Polgar defeating Kasparov – Russia vs Rest of the World” retrieved from Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kagK68zt5R4
Video excerpt courtesy of Magyar Televízió (MTV),”17-year-old Judit Polgar defeating World Champ Boris Spassky” retrieved from Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gKZbyGMNGcI
Video excerpt courtesy of Magyar Televízió (MTV),”POLGAR – KARPOV Chess Match 1998, Budapest” retrieved from Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fHZx6T0NZHQ
Video excerpt courtesy of emmrich,”Judit Polgar simul 1999” retrieved from Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vB7dVvMPgcY
Video excerpt courtesy of PVS (Producciones y Video Sociedad),”JUDIT POLGAR Olympic Champion – 1988, Thessaloniki” retrieved from Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a–9nYBX3vc
Video excerpt courtesy of Radio Television of Novi Sad (RTV Novi Sad),”JUDIT POLGAR Olympic Champion – 1990, Novi Sad” retrieved from Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yo9CBWKaFPQ
Video excerpt courtesy of Nemzeti Média- és Hírközlési Hatóság (NMHH),”Polgár Judit 40 – engsub” retrieved from Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FI5YC9iAO44
Video excerpt courtesy of Jewish Film Institute,”SFJFF35 Presents: The Polgar Variant – Trailer” retrieved from Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PE6A5eMYXGs
Video excerpt courtesy of Alexandr Gentelev,”Москва 2002 год” retrieved from Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RLxRhA5R9iE
Video excerpt courtesy of D.O.C Travel Service,”BUDAPEST – Szentendre, City Tour (1990)” retrieved from Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P9A6nnpbMpM
Video excerpt courtesy of VHGKASPAROV,”Garry Kasparov vs Anatoly Karpov” retrieved from Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XvcxzGnVQWI
Video excerpt courtesy of Rob Clark,”Kasparov v Karpov – a look back at their 1990 WC match” retrieved from Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sddi7WdBR4w
Video excerpt courtesy of Judit Polgar Videos,”Judit Polgar – Prima primissima 2008” retrieved from Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oiBNZ5QisTw
Video excerpt courtesy of the Fifth Estate,”Recipe for genius: How child chess prodigies master the game” retrieved from Youtube:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ejKTip0tRQ
Video excerpt courtesy of Tarijun Digital,”Kasparov vs J Polgar, Tilburg 1997” retrieved from Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vi1DLHd1apc
Video excerpt courtesy of Archivo CanalSur,”Ajedrez: incidente entre Judit Polgar y Garry Kasparov en Linares (1994)” retrieved from Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aw4g3iDrsNk
Video excerpt courtesy of C-Squared,”Judit Polgar | Legendary Coaching System, Bobby Fischer, Chess Psychology | C-Squared #016” retrieved from Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1p-9BUMi9gE
Video excerpt courtesy of FIDE,”King Salman World Rapid & Blitz Championship started in Riyadh!” retrieved from Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eNEGnmUVbqY