At a private residence in Park City, Utah, actor Alec Baldwin faced off against chess legend Judit Polgár in an unusual chess match where Baldwin could see the board but Polgár played blindfolded. Despite her visual handicap, Polgár quickly secured checkmate, exemplifying why the event at the Sundance Film Festival ended with the chess prodigy’s win. This encounter spotlighted the intense skill that has defined Polgár’s career, framing the “Alec Baldwin chess match” as a memorable moment of the festival.
Judit Polgár’s Remarkable Legacy As Focus of New Documentary
Polgár, widely regarded as the greatest female chess player of all time, is the subject of Rory Kennedy’s latest documentary, Queen of Chess, which premiered at Sundance. Kennedy shared with Deadline’s Sundance Studio her initial unfamiliarity with Polgár’s achievements and how research quickly unveiled the extraordinary nature of her career. Polgár maintained the top position among female chess players for 26 years, broke Bobby Fischer’s record as the youngest Grandmaster, and uniquely penetrated the top 10 rankings among all players, male and female.
“I was approached by a producer friend, Steve Nemeth, to see if I might be interested in doing a documentary about Polgár. And I said, who is Judit Polgár?”
Rory Kennedy, Director
“So, I did some research and I was stunned to find out that Judit Polgár was the greatest female chess player of all time, hands down. She was in the number one position of the top women chess players for 26 years. She had broken Bobby Fischer’s record as the youngest Grandmaster ever, and she was the only woman ever to have broken into the top 10 [among all chess players, male and female].”
Rory Kennedy, Director
Challenges Shaping Polgár’s Rise During Hungary’s Communist Era
Kennedy became deeply engrossed in Polgár’s background, discovering the hardships she endured growing up in Communist Hungary. The director expressed how these circumstances highlighted the unusual nature of Polgár’s successful journey in the male-dominated world of chess.
“I was kind of just amazed that I didn’t know her name. And then I did some more research into her backstory and coming out of Hungary and during the Communist regime and all of the challenges and struggle that she faced to get to the place that she was, and I was hooked.”
Rory Kennedy, Director
Polgár’s talent emerged early, as she began playing chess at age five. By the time she was defeating experienced male players, many reacted poorly to the challenge she posed.
“When I won against the first Grandmaster in my life, I was 11. The guy couldn’t really take it,”
Judit Polgár
“I heard that when he was going around the elevator pressing it after that [loss], he was hitting his head [against] the elevator. So, people were handling it pretty badly sometimes, but mostly they were just thinking, okay, I had a bad day, she was lucky, and I just made a bad move. So, there were excuses in different ways, and they were not taking me so seriously. And I felt it that if I would have been a boy performing those results, they would just much faster acknowledged my performance. So, it took time and I understood that I have to show it and perform and show it on the board that I’m really good. And then at one point they said, well, she’s one of us. This was one of the biggest compliments I got from the chess community.”
Judit Polgár
Comparisons to “The Queen’s Gambit” and Collaboration with Netflix
Polgár’s journey has drawn parallels with the popular Netflix series The Queen’s Gambit, which launched the career of actress Anya Taylor-Joy. Polgár praised the show for its quality and entertainment value. In a related development, Netflix acquired the distribution rights to Kennedy’s documentary, ensuring wide accessibility soon after the Sundance debut.
“Obviously, because of the success of The Queen’s Gambit, when I decided to make this film, [Netflix] was the first call I made and they got on board right away,”
Rory Kennedy, Director
“I think we were all aligned with the vision of the film and making it kind of an exciting sports film. So, it’s been a wonderful partnership and it’s great to be here with their support. And we’re really thrilled that it’s going straight to streaming after Sundance on February 6th.”
Rory Kennedy, Director
Additional Insights Into Polgár’s Chess Career and Family Support
During the full Sundance Studio conversation, Polgár reflected on her rivalry with grandmaster Gary Kasparov and the unique upbringing created by her father’s experimental approach to parenting. This approach helped turn her and her sisters into exceptional chess talents, shaping her extraordinary career.
This chess match between Polgár and Baldwin, combined with the documentary’s release, highlights the growing recognition of women in chess and Polgár’s unparalleled impact in the sport. Netflix’s streaming availability means this story will reach audiences globally, further cementing Polgár’s legacy and inspiring future generations.
