In 1989, before Searching for Bobby Fischer and The Queen’s Gambit, a 12-year-old Hungarian prodigy named Judit Polgár embarked on a David-and-Goliath mission to become the top chess player of her generation, which meant going up against men who thought that women — nevermind young girls like her — could never be truly great at chess. In particular, Judit had her eyes set on besting the top-ranked Garry Kasparov, whom some consider the greatest player of all time. What followed was a 13-year saga of thrilling wins, petulant opponents, dramatic showdowns, and surprising friendships as Judit charged toward her goal.
Premiering at the 2026 Sundance Film Festival and available to stream now on Netflix, Queen of Chess is directed by Academy Award–nominated and Emmy–winning director Rory Kennedy and recounts Judit’s stunning entrance into the world of chess, and how she battled against fusty, old ideas of what female chess players could be capable of. Through in-depth interviews with Judit, now in her 40s, her family, Kasparov, and other chess pros, charting the story of a little girl raised within a family experiment to create geniuses. By 12, she would become the No. 1 female player in the world. By 15, she would beat Bobby Fischer’s record as the youngest grandmaster of all time. But as Judit got older, found love, and started finding her own path, she began to understand what success really means for those who dare break new ground.
“We are living in a moment when so many people are still fighting for equal footing — Judit’s life shows what can happen when one person has the resolve to break through barriers,” Kennedy says. “I'm thrilled to be premiering Queen of Chess at Sundance, a festival that helped launch my career many years ago and means so much to me and Mark, my producing partner and husband. With this film, my team and I hope to give Judit Polgár, the greatest female chess player in history, the spotlight that her groundbreaking journey deserves. We are excited to bring Judit’s story to Netflix, where people around the world will be able to witness just what is possible when we challenge assumptions about gender, talent, and opportunity.”
The documentary is produced by Rory Kennedy, Mark Bailey, and Keven McAlester.
Watch Queen of Chess on Netflix now.
Queen of Chess is a captivating, inspiring retelling of the inspiring story of 12-year-old Judit Polgár, who blazed her way to the top of the male-dominated chess world. As she set her sights on beating world champion Garry Kasparov, she discovered that it takes more than genius and grit to become one of the greatest chess players of all time.
