Bring your puzzle solution to Bookman’s on Speedway Family Chess Night, 6:30-8:30pm, first Wednesday of every month–in December, Wednesday the 7th–and win a free prize.

The whole family, new and experienced players are all invited to join us to play chess.

Judit Polgár: World’s Greatest Female Chess Player

Judit Polgár was born in 1976, Budapest, Hungary. Her father trained Judit and her sisters, Susan and Sofia, to be chess prodigies. Laszlo Polgár’s belief that “geniuses are made, not born” was tested and proven by his daughters, two chess grandmasters and one international master.

Judit Polgár 2008

Judit became grandmaster in 1991 at the age of 15, beating Bobby Fischer’s record by a month. She is the only woman to enter the World’s Top Ten Chess Players. She has defeated nine Men’s World Champions. Polgár seldom plays in women-only chess events. “I always say that women should have the self-confidence that they are as good as male players,” she said.

Former world champion Garry Kasparov has written, “if to ‘play like a girl’ meant anything in chess, it would mean relentless aggression.” Judit’s style promotes aggressive openings and play. She excels in tactics by maximizing the initiative and developing complication.

Former US Champion Joel Benjamin describing Polgár–”it was all-out war for five hours. I was totally exhausted. She is a tiger at the chess board. She absolutely has a killer instinct. You make one mistake and she goes right for the throat.”

The debate over female chess capability may continue but Polgár’s aggressive style and accomplishments disprove the argument that in chess, women lack the patricidal urge.

Putting the title “strongest woman player ever in chess” to test, Polgár, as a mother of two, has said, that a chess tournament now “feels like a vacation.”

More about great chess moms in puzzles to come.

Reference

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Judit_Polgar

Photo credit: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Judit_Polgar.jpg

Postscript

November’s Bobby Fischer puzzle solution

1. Rxf8+  Kxf8  2. Qd8+  Ne8  3. Qe7+ (or Be7+)  Kg8 4. Qxe8#

“I’m so glad that 9 Queens and Goddesschess are promoting and celebrating fighting spirit among female chess players, and look forward to enjoying the beautiful and skillful display of chess mastery at the US Women’s Chess Championships,” said Grandmaster Kosteniuk.

Both 9 Queens and Goddesschess are organizations dedicated to encouraging more women and girls to play chess. Since 2007, Goddesschess has been awarding prizes to players in the U.S. Women’s Chess Championship. Last year Anna Zatonskih won the Fighting Chess Award for her commitment to keep fighting even after she clinched the tournament with her astounding 8.5/9 score.

“As part of Goddesschess’ commitment to encouraging more girls and women to play chess, we are extremely pleased in 2010 to partner with 9 Queens to sponsor a Fighting Chess Award of $1,000, the largest award yet, in keeping with the prestige of this event,” explained Jan Newton official spokesperson from Goddesschess.

In addition to the Fighting Chess Award, 9 Queens will also award a $400 scholarship to the best performing student under 25 in the tournament. The US Women’s Chess Championship is taking place July 9-19 at the Chess Club and Scholastic Center of Saint Louis. Visit uschesschamps.com for more details, and to listen daily to live commentary by GM Ben Finegold and 9 Queens co-founder Jen Shahade.