A new Netflix documentary, The Queen of Chess, explores the life of Hungarian grandmaster Judit Polgar, from child prodigy to one of chess's greatest players. In tandem, Chess.com has launched limited-edition bots simulating Polgar at various career stages. The film highlights her triumphs amid political and gender barriers in 1970s Hungary.
The Queen of Chess, a 94-minute PG-rated Netflix documentary directed by Rory Kennedy, chronicles Judit Polgar's extraordinary journey in chess. Born as the youngest of three daughters to Laszlo and Klara Polgar, Judit was part of her father's experiment to nurture geniuses through intensive training. From around age five, the sisters forwent regular schooling for daily chess practice, a decision influenced by the game's popularity in the 1970s Soviet Union and its low cost.
Judit quickly emerged as the standout, competing in tournaments by age six and defeating adults, including family friends. At nine, she won international events and dominated the New York Open. By 11, she secured her first victory against a grandmaster. At 15, Polgar became the youngest grandmaster in history, surpassing Bobby Fischer's record, and went on to achieve the highest rating for a woman in chess at 2735 while competing as a World Championship candidate.
The documentary details challenges in Hungary's oppressive regime, where authorities restricted international travel and sent police to threaten the family. It also addresses sexism in chess, with archive footage showing Fischer's disparaging views on female players—a sentiment echoed by Garry Kasparov, whom Polgar faced multiple times. Kasparov, interviewed in the film, remains arrogant about her early prowess. Despite discrimination at tournaments, the Polgar sisters recall positive experiences, though their views on their father's methods are mixed.
Featuring archive footage, photographs, and tense match recollections, the film draws comparisons to The Queen's Gambit but emphasizes Polgar's real achievements. A young Stephen Fry appears in 1980s footage. To mark the release, Chess.com introduced four bots mimicking Polgar at ages six (rating 1350), nine (1900), 11 (2400), and 15 (2600), plus her peak (2735), available on the Play Computer page.