Judit Polgar sets Guinness record

Judit Polgar setting a Guinness record

By Ferenc von Maurer

Thousands of people gathered to see again at the Chess Festival organized by the greatest female chess player of all time Judit Polgar who just announced her retirement from competitive chess a month ago. The festival offered a full day family programs in the Budapest Palace of Arts, where children were invited to the 3D Chess Palace to participate in interactive chess tutoring, competitions and arts and crafts.

Chess Palace 3D, representing the Judit Polgar’s educational program, became part of the
National Curriculum in Hungary. Judit, her children, and her sister, Sofia pose in the Palace.

The giant figures of the Chess Palace world became favorite of the children at the festival as well

The Chess Festival provided a great opportunity to parents who wished to introduce their children to educational chess. The entertaining programs included a fairy tale chess game with the fantasy cartoon character Shrek and Fiona, played by Karoly Gesztesi, one of the most popular actors in Hungary, and Judit Polgar. Among the prominent guests were Erno Rubik, the inventor of the famous Rubik’s Cube and Zurab Azmaiparashvili, the recently elected ECU president, and many other Olympic and world champion athletes, artists, and leaders of the business and political world. The festival ended with a simul given by Judit Polgar, who has been leading the FIDE world rankings for 25 years, setting a Guinness record also announced at the festival.

Judit Polgar with her children Oliver and Hanna at the Aquaprofit-Polgar Chess Festival 2014

Playing Shrek Chess: Károly Gesztesi, one of the most popular Hungarian actors,
as Shrek and Judit Polgar as Fiona

Smart kids are good at it but can Ogres play chess? GM Peter Lékó doing the commentary

In a European Union cultural exchange project a group of Swedish girls visited the festival
and played a simul against the great Hungarian chess talents Gellért and Kata Karácsonyi

Judit Polgar and Tamás Szucs, Head of European Commission Representation
in Hungary, open the Generations Chess Clash.

The Aquaprofit-Polgar Chess Festival was under the patronage of Androulla Vassiliou, Member of the European Commission. In the Generations Chess Clash families took on families in a multi-generational chess competition, sponsored by the European Commission. Each team was composed of a child, a parent and a grandparent.

1.d4 Nf6: Judit Polgar playing a blitz game with Tamás Nádasi, Chairman of
the Board of Aquaprofit, the title sponsor of the festival

Children’s choir performing Zigzeg Chess, the official song of the Chess Palace Program

Judit Polgar with Erno Rubik who invented the world famous
Rubik’s Cube exactly 40 years ago this year

Chess Palace and Rubik’s Cube – two excellent tool to improve logical skills in children

Play it by trust: GMs Judit Polgar and Balogh Csaba playing trust chess created by Yoko Ono

At the Chess Palace Promenade kids had a chance to personalise the tools of the
Educational Chess Curriculum, including chess characters, crowns, flags and more

Judit Polgar with the Fide Caissa Award and two of her gold medals from Chess Olympiads

The official certificate of the Guinness record set by Judit Polgar. It reads: "The longest time a female player has been consecutively ranked chess world number one is 25 years and 1 month and was achieved by Judit Polgar (Hungary) from 1 February 1989 to 1 March 2014 – Officially Amazing".

Stand and mascot for the U-16 Youth Chess Olympiad to be held in Gyor, Hungary
in December this year – having Judit Polgar as great ambassador of the event

Three members of the silver medal winning Hungarian team from the Chess
Olympiad in Tromso: GM Peter Leko, GM Judit Polgar, and GM Csaba Balogh

Live Chess choreography on stage

Judit Polgar opening the Chess Palace International Teacher’s Congress

Judit with Anna Dienes, principal of the primary reference school of the Chess Palace program

Signing a momento for William Wirth, the former director of the Swiss financial
services company Credit Suisse that supported many great chess events in the past

Judit giving a simul to celebrities, artists, athletes, businessmen and politicians

Sofia Polgar as an artist at work during the simul

Video: Shrek Chess at the Aquaprofit Polgar Chess Festival 2014

All images provided by the Judit Polgar Chess Foundation