In this week’s episode of the New In Chess Podcast, Dirk Jan ten Geuzendam talks to one of the greatest champions of our game, none other than the First Lady of Chess, Judit Polgar. With the Olympiad in Judit’s home city Budapest around the corner, it’s hard to think of a better guest!

Of course, Judit Polgar needs no introduction, so let’s try anyway!

Judit Polgar is the strongest female chess player of all time. At the age of 15 years and four months, she broke Bobby Fischer’s record to become the youngest grandmaster in history. That was in 1991 when 15 was still incredibly young for a GM.

For more than two decades, Judit competed successfully with the very best and became the first and only woman ever to enter the world's top 10. In her career, she defeated eleven current or former World Champions in classical or rapid chess—yes, eleven!

Judit retired from professional chess in 2014 but continues to be one of the game's most loved ambassadors. She’s a welcome guest all around the world, and every year, she has her own amazing Global Chess Festival in Budapest.

Judit has lived in Budapest all her life. The Olympiad will start in Budapest on September 10, and this year’s Global Chess Festival will take place on September 17 and 18.

The Olympiad and the Festival are obviously at the centre of attention in this podcast. In a lively and frank conversation, Judit speaks about the theme of the Festival and about her own Olympiad career, which started with the sensational win of the Hungarian women’s team in Thessaloniki in 1988. The team included all three Polgar sisters. Judit, twelve years old, played on the second board, scoring a sensational 12½ from 13.

Judit was unstoppable. At the 1994 Olympiad, she represented Hungary for the first time on Board 1 of the ‘Open’ team. Twice during her career, Hungary won silver, and after Judit quit competitive chess in 2014, she was asked to captain the Hungarian national team.

If you want to warm up for the Olympiad and get to know Judit better, this is a podcast you don’t want to miss. Telling many stories and anecdotes, Judit relives her Olympiad career, shares her thoughts about women’s chess (and comes up with a revolutionary idea to create more equality!), and looks at the favorites in the upcoming Olympiad in Budapest. Indeed, not to be missed.

The New In Chess podcast is published every Friday and can be listened to on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and the New In Chess website.

Timestamps
00:00 – Intro
02:10 - How are Judit's days filled in Budapest with the upcoming Olympiad?
05:18 - What makes the Global Chess Festival in Budapest so special?|
09:20 - What is Judit's motivation for organizing the festival?
13:25 - How did Judit react to the news of the Olympiad being held in Budapest?
15:15 - Why the Olympiad is a great place to meet old friends
17:04 - The Olympiad's unique atmosphere and the Bermuda party
19:06 - How does Judit remember her first Olympiad as a young girl?
22:02 - Did Judit's success improve the family's relationship with Hungarian authorities?
23:47 - AD BREAK
24:20 - Judits as a pioneer for women players
26:18 - "Polgaria"
30:46 - The adjustment of playing the Olympiad with men
33:27 - What does Judit think of women's events?
37:45 - Judit suggests abolishing women's titles 
41:41 - How does Judit reflect on her Olympiad achievements?
45:30 - Bled
46:36 - AD BREAK
47:35 - Judits experiences as Hungarian team captain 
55:12 - Who are Judits favorites and dark horses?
1:00:20 - Magnus's participation
1:03:32 - The Chinese team
1:05:38 - Do Judit's female mentees have the same passion and discipline for the game as the young men?
1:07:30 - Outro