Chess Grandmaster Polgar visits Jamaica this week
HUNGARIAN International Chess Grandmaster Judit Polgar is scheduled to visit Jamaica during the imminent Easter holidays.
Polgar is scheduled to arrive in Kingston on Thursday as the guest of the Jamaica Chess Federation (JCF).
During her visit, Polgar will, among other things, make courtesy calls on select individuals, have an extended private training session with the JCF’s twelve (12) Grandmaster-in-Ten (GM 10) candidates, and meet with members of the JCF governing council.
A highlight of Polgar’s visit will be on Saturday, when she will answer questions on her life and chess at a public (town hall) session to be held in the afternoon at the Medallion Hall Hotel. She will also conduct a simultaneous exhibition, that is playing games against at least 20 different players on different boards at the same time.
Celebrated as the greatest female player of all time (“GOAT”) in the 1,500-year history of chess, Polgar has a legacy of outstanding achievements.
In 1989, at the age of 12, she took the lead in the adult women’s world ranking, which list began with her name for the next 26 years.
At the age of 14 she was already a two-time Women’s Chess Olympic Champion (1988, 1990).
Later, as a member of the Hungarian men’s team, she won two Olympic silver medals (in 2002 and 2014). At the age of 15 years and four months she became a “male” international grandmaster, breaking the record set by the iconic American 11th World Chess Champion Robert James “Bobby” Fischer.
In October 2005 she was ranked eighth in the absolute world ranking as the first and, to date, the only female top 10 chess player.
In 2011 she won a bronze medal at the Men’s European Championship. She defeated 11 world champions in classical, rapid, or blitz chess games, including the 13th World Chess Champion GM Garry Kasparov.