- Name:
- Judit Polgar
- Federation:
Hungary- Sex:
- Female
- Born:
- 1976
- FIDE ID:
- 700070 FIDE Profile
- Title:
- Grand Master
- ELO Classic:
- 2675
- ELO Rapid:
- 2646
- ELO Blitz:
- 2736
- Years:
- 1986 - 2014
- Total Games:
- 1827
- Wins:
- 692 (37.88 %)
- Draws:
- 665 (36.4 %)
- Losses:
- 470 (25.73 %)
- Score:
- 56.08 %
Judit Polgar
Judit Polgar (1976): the trailblazing super-GM who took on the open elite
Judit Polgar (born July 23, 1976, Budapest) is a Hungarian grandmaster widely regarded as the strongest female chess player in history.
She built her career mainly in open (mixed) tournaments, becoming the only woman to reach the world Top 10, peaking at No. 8, and the only woman to cross 2700 Elo, with a peak rating of 2735.
In February, Netflix releases the documentary Queen of Chess (premiering Feb 6, 2026), spotlighting her rise and her battles against the chess establishment.
Key tournaments & milestones
- Hastings 1992-93 - Shared 1st, one of her early breakthrough wins in strong open company.
- Madrid International 1994 - 1st place, a landmark tournament victory vs a top GM field.
- Russia vs Rest of the World 2002 - Famous win vs Garry Kasparov (rapid), one of the most iconic results of her career.
- World Chess Championship (San Luis) 2005 - Final-stage participant, the only woman to play in a WC final-stage event of that era.
- Essent / Hoogeveen 2006 - Tournament success featuring two wins vs Veselin Topalov, then world No. 1.
Polgar became a GM in 1991 (age 15 years, 4 months) - at the time the youngest ever - setting the tone for a career defined by fearless, tactical chess against the very best.
Last tournaments played
| Tournament | Date | Elo Avg. | Country |
|---|---|---|---|
| 41st Olympiad Open 2014 | 08/02/2014 | 2071 | 
Norway |
| FIDE World Blitz 2014 | 06/19/2014 | 2589 | 
United Arab Emirates |
| FIDE World Rapid 2014 | 06/16/2014 | 2594 |
United Arab Emirates |
Most Played Openings as White
| ECO | Opening | Games |
|---|---|---|
| B90 | Sicilian, Najdorf | 35 games |
| B33 | Sicilian defence | 34 games |
| C42 | Petrov's defence | 31 games |
| C67 | Ruy Lopez, Berlin defence, open variation | 27 games |
Most Played Openings as Black
| ECO | Opening | Games |
|---|---|---|
| E97 | King's Indian, orthodox, Aronin-Taimanov variation (Yugoslav attack / Mar del Plata variation) | 31 games |
| B90 | Sicilian, Najdorf | 27 games |
| B22 | Sicilian, Alapin's variation (2.c3) | 25 games |
| E15 | Queen's Indian, 4.g3 | 23 games |
Games played by Judit Polgar
| White | Elo | Black | Elo | Result | Moves | ECO | Year | Tournament | Moves |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dizdar, G | 2505 | Polgar, J | 2555 | ½-½ | 22 | A08 | 1989 | New York op | |
| A081989New York op | |||||||||
| Lautier, J | 2465 | Polgar, J | 2555 | 1-0 | 55 | A57 | 1989 | EU-chT (Men) | |
| A571989EU-chT (Men) | |||||||||
| Fishbein, A | 2490 | Polgar, J | 2555 | 1-0 | 43 | B44 | 1989 | New York op | |
| B441989New York op | |||||||||
| Zapata, A | 2490 | Polgar, J | 2555 | 0-1 | 71 | B80 | 1989 | New York op | |
| B801989New York op | |||||||||
| Kamsky, G | 2345 | Polgar, J | 2555 | 0-1 | 59 | D03 | 1989 | New York op | |
| D031989New York op | |||||||||
| Franco Ocampos, Z | 2490 | Polgar, J | 2555 | 1-0 | 39 | A34 | 1989 | Salamanca | |
| A341989Salamanca | |||||||||
| Giorgadze, T | 2510 | Polgar, J | 2555 | ½-½ | 47 | A57 | 1989 | Salamanca | |
| A571989Salamanca | |||||||||
| Kudrin, S | 2550 | Polgar, J | 2555 | ½-½ | 61 | B80 | 1989 | Salamanca | |
| B801989Salamanca | |||||||||
| Sanz Alonso, F | 2420 | Polgar, J | 2555 | 1-0 | 40 | B44 | 1989 | Salamanca | |
| B441989Salamanca | |||||||||
| Sion Castro, M | 2315 | Polgar, J | 2555 | 1-0 | 22 | B44 | 1989 | Salamanca | |
| B441989Salamanca | |||||||||
| Gelfand, B | 2590 | Polgar, J | 2555 | 1-0 | 42 | A43 | 1989 | OHRA-B | |
| A431989OHRA-B | |||||||||
| Illescas Cordoba, M | 2510 | Polgar, J | 2555 | 1-0 | 65 | B47 | 1989 | OHRA-B | |
| B471989OHRA-B | |||||||||
| Wojtkiewicz, A | 2475 | Polgar, J | 2555 | 1-0 | 31 | E66 | 1989 | EU-chT (Men) | |
| E661989EU-chT (Men) | |||||||||
| Brestian, E | 2465 | Polgar, J | 2555 | ½-½ | 32 | A36 | 1989 | EU-chT (Men) | |
| A361989EU-chT (Men) | |||||||||
| Polgar, J | 2320 | Karsa, L | 2400 | 0-1 | 54 | C33 | 1988 | Zalakaros op 7th | |
| C331988Zalakaros op 7th | |||||||||
| Polgar, J | Pytel, K | 2405 | 0-1 | 64 | C13 | 1988 | Royan op | ||
| C131988Royan op | |||||||||
| Polgar, J | 2320 | Chilingirova, P | 2195 | 1-0 | 17 | B31 | 1988 | Thessaloniki ol (Women) | |
| B311988Thessaloniki ol (Women) | |||||||||
| Polgar, J | 2320 | Craig, C | 1-0 | 31 | B33 | 1988 | Thessaloniki ol (Women) | ||
| B331988Thessaloniki ol (Women) | |||||||||
| Polgar, J | 2320 | Jackson, S | 2260 | 1-0 | 50 | C31 | 1988 | Thessaloniki ol (Women) | |
| C311988Thessaloniki ol (Women) | |||||||||
| Polgar, J | 2320 | Kondou, E | 2205 | 1-0 | 53 | B70 | 1988 | Thessaloniki ol (Women) | |
| B701988Thessaloniki ol (Women) | |||||||||
| Polgar, J | 2320 | Einarsson, H | 2215 | ½-½ | 49 | B44 | 1988 | Reykjavik op | |
| B441988Reykjavik op | |||||||||
| Polgar, J | 2320 | Briem, S | 2225 | ½-½ | 46 | C31 | 1988 | Reykjavik op | |
| C311988Reykjavik op | |||||||||
| Polgar, J | 2320 | Bergsson, S | 2110 | 1-0 | 26 | B34 | 1988 | Reykjavik op | |
| B341988Reykjavik op | |||||||||
| Polgar, J | 2320 | Barle, J | 2425 | ½-½ | 64 | C33 | 1988 | Reykjavik op | |
| C331988Reykjavik op | |||||||||
| Polgar, J | 2560 | Hausrath, D | 1-0 | 33 | B13 | 1988 | Wch U18 | ||
| B131988Wch U18 | |||||||||
| Polgar, J | Garcia Ilundain, D | 1-0 | 19 | C30 | 1988 | Wch U18 | |||
| C301988Wch U18 | |||||||||
| Polgar, J | Portisch, G | 2305 | 1-0 | 33 | C15 | 1988 | HUN-ch op | ||
| C151988HUN-ch op | |||||||||
| Polgar, J | 2320 | Wood, D | 2245 | 1-0 | 35 | C15 | 1988 | Hastings op 8889 | |
| C151988Hastings op 8889 | |||||||||
| Polgar, J | Stefansson, H | 2395 | 1-0 | 34 | B01 | 1988 | Egilsstadir m | ||
| B011988Egilsstadir m | |||||||||
| Polgar, J | Olafsson, H | 2510 | 1-0 | 56 | B87 | 1988 | Egilsstadir m | ||
| B871988Egilsstadir m | |||||||||
| Polgar, J | 2320 | Levitina, I | 2355 | ½-½ | 80 | B57 | 1988 | Thessaloniki ol (Women) | |
| B571988Thessaloniki ol (Women) | |||||||||
| Polgar, J | 2320 | Maskova, J | 2220 | 1-0 | 57 | B30 | 1988 | Thessaloniki ol (Women) | |
| B301988Thessaloniki ol (Women) | |||||||||
| Polgar, J | 2320 | Savereide, D | 2250 | 1-0 | 31 | B85 | 1988 | Thessaloniki ol (Women) | |
| B851988Thessaloniki ol (Women) | |||||||||
| Polgar, J | 2320 | Flear, G | 2460 | 1-0 | 36 | C33 | 1988 | Hastings op 8889 | |
| C331988Hastings op 8889 | |||||||||
| Polgar, J | 2320 | Franklin, M | 2295 | 1-0 | 36 | B28 | 1988 | Hastings op 8889 | |
| B281988Hastings op 8889 | |||||||||
| Polgar, J | 2320 | Sadler, M | 2385 | 1-0 | 53 | B42 | 1988 | Hastings op 8889 | |
| B421988Hastings op 8889 | |||||||||
| Polgar, J | Verat, L | 2235 | 1-0 | 38 | B14 | 1988 | Bagneux op | ||
| B141988Bagneux op | |||||||||
| Polgar, J | 2320 | Singh, S | 1-0 | 31 | B85 | 1988 | Hastings op 8889 | ||
| B851988Hastings op 8889 | |||||||||
| Polgar, J | 2320 | Szekely, P | 2420 | 1-0 | 38 | B88 | 1988 | Hastings op 8889 | |
| B881988Hastings op 8889 | |||||||||
| Polgar, J | 2320 | Gislason, G | 2295 | 1-0 | 105 | B78 | 1988 | Reykjavik op | |
| B781988Reykjavik op | |||||||||