Judit Polgar

Judit Polgar is the strongest woman chess player in the world, and also probably the greatest woman chess player of all time.

She was born July 23, 1976 in Hungary and was recognized as a prodigy from a very young age. Her father Laszlo and sister Susan were her coaches during her early years. She was 12 years when she was awarded the title of International Master (at that time, the youngest ever to have achieved the distinction) and in 1991, at the age of 15, she qualified as a Grandmaster.

On the January 1996 FIDE ratings, her rating of 2675 made her the number 10 ranked player in the world, the only woman ever to enter the world’s Top Ten. Her highest ever rating has been 2735, in the July 2005 FIDE list.

History was made in September 2002, in the Russia vs. Rest of the World match when she defeated Garry Kasparov. This game which she won with exceptional positional play, was the first time in any sport that the number 1 ranked male player had lost to the number 1 ranked female player.

She has won or shared first place in Hastings 1993, Madrid 1994, Leon 1996, US Open 1998, Hoogeveen 1999, Siegman 1999, Japfa 2000, and the Najdorf Memorial 2000. In 2003, she scored one of her best results, an undefeated clear second place in the Category 19 Corus chess tournament in Wijk aan Zee, Netherlands, just a half-point behind future World Champion Anand, and a full point ahead of then-world champion Kramnik.

Judit is known for her aggressive playing style. She excels in tactical positions, though when required, she can be a solid positional player as well.

She is married to Gusztav Font, a veterinary surgeon from Budapest and has 2 children, Oliver and Hanna.

Below I give one of Judit’s brilliant wins against David Navara in the recently concluded match at Prague. (Judit won the match resoundingly 6 – 2)

White: Judit Polgar (2682)
Black: David Navara (2708)
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0-0 Be7 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3 d6 8.c3 0-0 9.h3 Nb8 10.d4 Nbd7 11.Nbd2 Bb7 12.a4 c5 13.d5 c4 14.Bc2 Nc5 15.a5 g6 16.b4 cxb3 17.Nxb3 Rc8 18.Re3 Nfd7 19.Nxc5 Nxc5 20.Ba3 f5 21.exf5 gxf5 22.Nxe5! dxe5 23.Rxe5 Rc7 24.Rxf5 Rxf5 25.Bxf5 Qxd5 26.Qg4+ Kh8 27.Re1 Bf8 28.c4 Qg8 29.Bb2+ Bg7 30.Bxh7 Qf8 31.Bxg7+ Rxg7 32.Bg6 Kg8 33.cxb5 axb5 34.Re5 Bc8 35.Qe2 Rxg6 36.Re8 Bb7 37.f3 Ne6 38.Rxf8+ Kxf8 39.Qxb5 Rxg2+ 40.Kxg2 Bxf3+ 41.Kg3 1-0.

Judit’s official Web site
Judit on Wiki & ChessGames