Podcast Summary: “Judit Polgár is the ‘Queen of Chess’”

Podcast: All Of It with Alison Stewart (WNYC)
Episode Date: January 21, 2026
Guest: Judit Polgár, Chess Grandmaster
Documentary Discussed: Queen of Chess (Directed by Rory Kennedy, premiering at Sundance, streaming on Netflix Feb 6)

Episode Overview

This episode spotlights grandmaster Judit Polgár, widely recognized as one of the greatest chess players in history and the only woman ever ranked in the world top 10. The conversation, led by Alison Stewart, weaves through Polgár’s extraordinary career, upbringing, the making of her new documentary, and her perspective on chess, gender, and genius. Listeners are given both a personal and historical journey through the world of elite chess.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Signing onto the Documentary (01:48 – 03:06)

• Why Judit Agreed:

  • “For me, it was a plus that [director Rory Kennedy] does not play chess… I was so curious how is she going to be as she's so interested about my story…how to show something that she has nothing to do with the sport.” (Judith Polgar, 02:22–03:04)
  • Polgár highlights her excitement about a female filmmaker, and being challenged to communicate chess beyond the usual expert audience.

• Translating Chess for All:

  • Describes having to explain even basic chess terms like “What’s a pawn?” and “What is checkmate?” so that the film appeals to a broad, non-expert audience.

The Fascination of Chess (03:54 – 04:54)

• Multidimensional Nature:
  • “Chess is a game where you find everything. You find life, the connections, the rules… thousands and thousands of patterns… you have to manage yourself and play a good game and be successful. And I play life also as a chess player.” (Judith Polgar, 04:28–04:54)
• Educational Power:
  • Polgár now works on educational chess initiatives, emphasizing the game's value beyond competition.

Family and Upbringing (06:15 – 10:41)

• The Polgár Project:

  • Her father’s unique vision—homeschooling his daughters and focusing deeply on one area to foster genius.
  • “He said he wants to show…if he couldn’t make it [himself]…he wants to show it with his own children.” (Judith Polgar, 06:26–06:33)

• Mother’s Role:

  • “My mother was definitely the person who was the behind the person. Who gives the warm of a family... She was doing everything…” (Judith Polgar, 07:31–07:49)

• No Rebellion:

  • When asked if she considered rebelling:
    • “You get addicted when you’re successful... And you get this incredible feeling, you don’t even think about it. Why should I rebel? Why should I have a different life?” (Judith Polgar, 10:07–10:35)

Media and the ‘Experiment’ Narrative (11:01 – 12:32)

• She openly disliked the repeated “experiment” framing by journalists:
  • “The outside world wanted to put a lot of pressure on me... At some point I cracked, and I was like, crying, and I said, okay, why do they attack me that way? You know? And then I became strong, and I said, okay, now I’m going to deal with that, that I don’t pay attention.” (Judith Polgar, 11:25–12:01)

Nature of Genius and Hard Work (12:40 – 13:26)

• Polgár sides with her father’s belief that genius is made, not born:
  • “Without work, without hard work and support, [talent] can be even against you. But for me, my talent was that I'm ready to work hard…” (Judith Polgar, 12:53–13:26)

Playing Style and Strengths (13:41 – 15:17)

• Aggressive Style:

  • “I was scary for my opponents... I had this special look, which some players described as a killer look... I'm not hiding away what my intentions are. I want to win. I'm ready to sacrifice half of the board in order to give checkmate.” (Judith Polgar, 13:41–14:28)

• Key Skills:

  • Creativity, self-criticism, analytical thinking, endurance, resilience, and (of course) a love for the game.

• Memory & Modern Chess:

  • Memory is “important quite a bit as well.” But chess engines and AI have changed preparation fundamentally.

Technology in Chess – The AI Revolution (15:20 – 17:35)

• Shift from purely human analysis to reliance on computer engines and now even AI:
  • “People trust the engine too much and you don't understand. Exactly. And it's very funny for me and interesting to see how AI like ChatGPT... what kind of ideas it gives to people... it is very similar the way we were reacting as chess players 20 years ago.” (Judith Polgar, 15:38–16:42)
  • “If you're a critical thinker, you're just using it as advisor, as a friend, but you're analyzing, you're trying to understand everything.” (Judith Polgar, 16:42–16:59)

Gender and Chess (18:25 – 20:22)

• Attitudes in the 80s & 90s:
  • “That was rude... men did not really respect it, to say the least... even today they may say sometimes ‘ah, that's women's chess’, like saying it's bad chess, it's low level chess.” (Judith Polgar, 18:25–18:49)
• Defying Norms:
  • “Even though chess is not a physical sport, they could say... there was bigger difference in chess [between men and women] than, let's say in tennis... and it was not understandable at all. I mean, it's not a physical sport, it's a mental sport. And this is what was great from my parents, that they were so open about it... you have a brain... you can be as good as all the guys.” (Judith Polgar, 19:39–20:20)
• Support System:
  • Insulation from bias came from strong family support and self-awareness of her ability.

Rivalry with Garry Kasparov (21:04 – 23:47)

• Kasparov as Idol:
  • “He was a big idol for me when I was a kid... his playing style, which was very spectacular and very appealing…” (Judith Polgar, 21:04–21:11)
• Approaching Her Idol:
  • First met at age 12 at the Thessaloniki Chess Olympiad, describing it as "really special" and inspiring.
• Collaboration:
  • “This was the biggest sign that he acknowledged my chess knowledge, that he was curious about my thinking as well. And this was very special.” (Judith Polgar, 23:36–23:45)

Chessboard vs. Real Life Mindset (24:37 – 25:23)

• Switching Modes:
  • “When you go for the chessboard, you want to kill your opponent... you want the good for yourself. It's a fight, it's a one-on-one fight... But when we are playing, we obviously want to beat each other.” (Judith Polgar, 24:37–25:23)

All-or-Nothing Style and Learning to Draw (25:27 – 27:07)

• From always risking it all for the win to developing strategic patience:
  • “I was always taking my risk... And at some point... I decided that maybe it's not necessarily always to go to a sharper direction... Maybe it's better to be solid and to make a draw today and let’s keep my energy for tomorrow.” (Judith Polgar, 25:45–26:40)
  • Emphasizes energy management in tournaments.

Achieving Grandmaster Status (27:07 – 28:04)

• Youngest grandmaster at 15 years, 4 months, and 28 days, beating Bobby Fischer’s record.
• What It Means:
  • “You have to make a performance several times... rating 2500... show you have that level and then you get the title. But after that you have to keep this level.” (Judith Polgar, 27:21–28:04)

Thoughts on Broadway’s ‘Chess’ and Cultural Influence (28:04 – 28:50)

• Recently saw Chess on Broadway:
  • “It was amazing. It was very funny because I saw it first in London, 1988... yesterday I saw it and it was a fantastic performance by everyone actually.” (Judith Polgar, 28:13–28:20)

Bringing More Women into Chess (28:55 – 29:10)

• “I think open mindset by parents and trainers... I do hope that there is going to be new Judit Polgar in the future.” (Judith Polgar, 29:00–29:10)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On explaining chess to non-players:
  “It was very funny. When we were making the film... Rory was asking so many questions, very basic questions. What's a pawn do?” (Judith Polgar, 03:14–03:23)

• On being labeled an ‘experiment’: “You're strange, you're not normal... Your parents are making an experiment with you, while at the same time I was sitting at home playing chess. And I felt kind of comfortable in that seat.” (Judith Polgar, 11:01–11:20)

• On sexism in chess:
  “Women chess players, because even today they may say sometimes that, ‘ah, that's women chess.’ Like saying it's bad chess, it's low level chess.” (Judith Polgar, 18:49–19:02)

• On style:
  “I'm not hiding away what my intentions are. I want to win. I'm ready to sacrifice half of the board in order to give checkmate, because that's what we are playing the game for.” (Judith Polgar, 14:07–14:17)

• On AI in chess:
  “If you're a critical thinker, you're just using it as advisor, as a friend, but you're analyzing, you're trying to understand everything. In that sense, it can help you a lot, right?” (Judith Polgar, 16:42–16:59)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Documentary Decision & Explanation: 01:48–03:14
• Chess as Life & Education: 03:54–04:57
• Family & Homeschooling: 06:15–07:55
• Media ‘Experiment’ Narrative: 11:01–12:32
• Talent vs. Work Debate: 12:40–13:26
• Polgár’s Playing Style: 13:41–14:33
• AI and Chess Evolution: 15:20–17:35
• Sexism in Chess: 18:25–20:22
• Kasparov Rivalry: 21:04–23:47
• Mindset—Chessboard vs. Real Life: 24:37–25:23
• Learning to Make Draws: 25:27–27:07
• Grandmaster Achievement: 27:07–28:04
• Female Participation in Chess: 28:55–29:10

Final Thoughts

This engaging conversation reveals the extraordinary determination, intellect, and resilience behind Judit Polgár’s mythic chess career and pioneering legacy as a woman smashing boundaries in a traditionally male arena. The episode is rich with history, personal anecdotes, and timely reflections on sport, gender, and changing technology. Polgár’s openness, wit, and passion make this a must-listen for chess fans and cultural observers alike.