Netflix‘s new Queen of Chess documentary is giving viewers an in-depth look at the journey of Judit Polgár, the woman who grew up to become one of the world’s greatest chess players.
The doc features interviews with Polgár, her husband, her parents and her siblings. Several other legendary chess players and historians also appear.
How Judit Polgár became the ‘Queen of Chess’
Chess.com reported that Polgár grew up in Hungary. She trained under her father, becoming the world’s top-ranked female player at just 12 years old. At 15, Polgár made history when she broke Bobby Fischer’s longstanding record and became the youngest grandmaster.
At 17, Polgár played in the 1994 Linares Tournament in Spain, where she faced Russian grandmaster Garry Kasparov. However, controversy came about when Kasparov was accused of trying to switch squares after moving his knight, according to Biography. Polgár argued that her opponent made an illegal move, but the official ruled that Kasparov didn’t commit a violation, so he took home the victory.
In 2022, Polgár and Kasparov squared off again at a tournament dubbed the “match of the new century.” Kasparov conceded; Polgár called the victory “one of the most remarkable moments of my career.”
Where is Judit Polgár today?
Polgár holds the Guinness World Record for the longest-running top female player in the world at 26 years and 28 days. She retired in 2014, playing her final competition at the Chess Olympiad in Norway, helping Hungary earn a silver medal.
These days, Polgár, who’s 49 now, appears as a commentator at major chess tournaments around the world. In 2014, she began publishing her Judit Polgár Teaches Chess series.
Director Rory Kennedy said he hopes that Queen of Chess will introduce viewers to “one of the great untold sports stories.”
“Even if you don’t play chess, this is a story about resilience, determination, and breaking barriers, and I hope it will appeal to a broad audience,” Kennedy told Chess.com.