Director Rory Kennedy traces Judit Polgár’s chess career in a male-dominated world in Queen of Chess. Even the trailer conveys the enormous obstacles the young Hungarian and her sisters had to face – the experienced documentary filmmaker had no shortage of soundbites from men insisting that women would never be able to compete in chess.
The documentary follows Polgár’s journey from celebrated prodigy to the strongest female chess player in history. It shows her early successes and how, at the age of 15, she became the youngest person ever to earn the grandmaster title. It also, of course, highlights her greatest victories, such as her win against Garry Kasparov.
Rare archival footage, personal interviews and previously unreleased material reveal not only sporting milestones but also the psychological pressure behind the scenes of world chess. Queen of Chess is a detailed portrait of a woman who shook a decades-old system to its core. A gripping subject that is sure to appeal to many non-chess fans as well.
Trailer
Queen of Chess will be available to stream exclusively on Netflix from 6 February 2026.
