- 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Costa, J | 2320 | Polgar, J | 2355 | 0-1 | 22 | A31 | 1987 | Biel schev | |
| A311987Biel schev | |||||||||
| Gobet, F | 2355 | Polgar, J | 2355 | 1-0 | 58 | B80 | 1987 | Biel schev | |
| B801987Biel schev | |||||||||
| Polgar, J | 2355 | Gobet, F | 2355 | 0-1 | 35 | B33 | 1987 | Biel schev | |
| B331987Biel schev | |||||||||
| Landenbergue, C | 2300 | Polgar, J | 2355 | 0-1 | 44 | B38 | 1987 | Biel schev | |
| B381987Biel schev | |||||||||
| Zueger, B | 2405 | Polgar, J | 2355 | ½-½ | 41 | A57 | 1987 | Biel schev | |
| A571987Biel schev | |||||||||
| Kool, G | Polgar, J | 2355 | 0-1 | 37 | A37 | 1987 | OHRA op | ||
| A371987OHRA op | |||||||||
| Piket, J | 2450 | Polgar, J | 2355 | 1-0 | 16 | A43 | 1987 | OHRA op | |
| A431987OHRA op | |||||||||
| Flear, G | 2480 | Polgar, J | 2355 | 1-0 | 53 | A44 | 1987 | OHRA op | |
| A441987OHRA op | |||||||||
| Kudrin, S | 2515 | Polgar, J | 2355 | 1-0 | 57 | B80 | 1987 | OHRA op | |
| B801987OHRA op | |||||||||
| Pergericht, D | 2260 | Polgar, J | 2355 | 1-0 | 26 | A06 | 1987 | OHRA op | |
| A061987OHRA op | |||||||||
| Nemet, I | 2390 | Polgar, J | 2355 | ½-½ | 1 | A40 | 1987 | Biel schev | |
| A401987Biel schev | |||||||||
| Polgar, J | Drimer, D | 1-0 | 62 | B33 | 1986 | AUS op | |||
| B331986AUS op | |||||||||
| Polgar, J | Simic, Z | 2265 | 1-0 | 42 | C10 | 1986 | New York op | ||
| C101986New York op | |||||||||
| Polgar, J | Kientzler, I | 1915 | 1-0 | 34 | B86 | 1986 | Wch U16 Girls | ||
| B861986Wch U16 Girls | |||||||||
| Polgar, J | Capo, O | 0-1 | 59 | B83 | 1986 | Wch U16 Girls | |||
| B831986Wch U16 Girls | |||||||||
| Polgar, J | Saritha, N | 1-0 | 49 | B53 | 1986 | Wch U16 Girls | |||
| B531986Wch U16 Girls | |||||||||
| Polgar, J | Bojkovic, N | 2130 | 1-0 | 71 | B30 | 1986 | Wch U16 Girls | ||
| B301986Wch U16 Girls | |||||||||
| Polgar, J | Villegas, S | 1-0 | 45 | C30 | 1986 | Wch U16 Girls | |||
| C301986Wch U16 Girls | |||||||||
| Majul, I | Polgar, J | 0-1 | 64 | A37 | 1986 | Wch U16 Girls | |||
| A371986Wch U16 Girls | |||||||||
| Polgar, J | Mednis, E | 2455 | 0-1 | 44 | C15 | 1986 | AUS op | ||
| C151986AUS op | |||||||||
| Polgar, J | Hornung, K | 1-0 | 54 | C31 | 1986 | AUS op | |||
| C311986AUS op | |||||||||
| Polgar, J | Djuric, S | 2435 | 0-1 | 45 | C30 | 1986 | AUS op | ||
| C301986AUS op | |||||||||
| Aladjova, K | Polgar, J | ½-½ | 72 | E65 | 1986 | Wch U16 Girls | |||
| E651986Wch U16 Girls | |||||||||
| Kachiani Gersinska, K | Polgar, J | ½-½ | 68 | A58 | 1986 | Wch U16 Girls | |||
| A581986Wch U16 Girls | |||||||||
| Riofrio, M | Polgar, J | 0-1 | 23 | A43 | 1986 | Wch U16 Girls | |||
| A431986Wch U16 Girls | |||||||||
| Alvarez, V | Polgar, J | 0-1 | 37 | B20 | 1986 | Wch U16 Girls | |||
| B201986Wch U16 Girls | |||||||||
| Hernandez Bonilla, A | Polgar, J | 0-1 | 36 | A36 | 1986 | Wch U16 Girls | |||
| A361986Wch U16 Girls | |||||||||