Inspiring chess programs over two days in three locations: The first day of the festival ended with a full house – over 6,000 people visited the Hungarian National Gallery on September 17. On the second day of the festival, the auditorium of the InterContinental Hotel was occupied by educational experts, while the Judit Polgár Chess Foundation stand in the BOK Hall was filled with chess fans.
Judit Polgar's jubilee Global Chess Festival set a new on-site attendance record: this year, the programs on the first day of the festival attracted more than 6,000 visitors to the Hungarian National Gallery, and over two days (September 17-18), more than a quarter of a million people joined the events, which could also be followed online, including the community chess simul and the 4th Educational Chess Summit. The audience had the opportunity to meet the Polgar family and this year's festival patron, Ernő Rubik, and witnessed a groundbreaking Polgar vs. Polgar chess game. In addition to the scientific, artistic, and chess-related programs, a unique community chess simul and renowned figures from the chess world, Hungarian art scene, and sports champions ensured that visitors left the event feeling inspired.
"This series of events is not just about chess. This year, we prepared over 20 programs that sparked the imagination of every age group, from 4 to 104. The audience got to see my Olympic medals displayed for the first time, as well as my favorite chess sets, and they could experience the adventure of the Chess Palace program, where the characters of this magic world came to life. Visitors were able to experience how versatile, fun and diverse chess can be," said Judit Polgar, the best female chess player in history and founder of the Global Chess Festival.
The audience celebrated with the Polgar family
Those who visited the festival's opening day in the Buda castle had the rare opportunity to meet the Polgar family members in person for the first time in many years at a joint book signing. In addition, guests could play chess with the Polgar sisters on a giant chessboard, where participants shaped the game with their ideas.
The festival was one of those special occasions when, during the rest day of the Chess Olympiad, some participants also appeared among the audience, such as Swedish chess player and influencer Anna Cramling, and some even took on active roles. A true highlight was that the patron of the Global Chess Festival, Ernő Rubik, greeted the visitors at the National Gallery, and during the meet-and-greet, anyone had the opportunity to ask questions to the inventor of the Rubik's Cube.
At the two-day chess celebration, everyone found a program to their liking. Those who enjoy playful challenges could test their skills in the Rubik's Cube Game, participate in the PolgarStarChessOlimpiko, try out robot programming thanks to the festival's main sponsor, Morgan Stanley, or take part in an inspiring chess tournament.
"We were thrilled to participate in this year's Global Chess Festival with exciting and meaningful programs," said Norbert Fogarasi, head of Morgan Stanley's Budapest office, which has supported the event for six years. "It was especially rewarding to see how our colleagues inspired children through LEGO robot programming and how much interest the chess games with our chess masters garnered. Initiatives like this provide a great opportunity for Morgan Stanley employees to showcase their creativity and commitment. Through chess, we are glad to contribute to promoting strategic thinking, which is just as necessary at a global financial institution's IT and analysis center as it is over the chessboard."
JuditPolgar vs. The World
As a highlight of the festival, Judit Polgar played a simul against eight communities. Two of the friendly games ended in a draw: the "News Navigators," a team of foreign and Hungarian journalists, managed to draw their game with the unexpected involvement and help of 9-year-old chess prodigy Bodhana Sivanandan, an Olympian representing England. The team of representatives from the deaf, hard of hearing, and visually impaired communities, known as the "Champions of Courage," also agreed to a draw with Judit Polgar. The excitement peaked at the end of the simul, as most teams found themselves in time trouble. Zachary Saine (The Chess Nerd) and his community handled the pressure remarkably well, using the final seconds in a brilliant endgame to become the only community to defeat the chess legend.
The community of Hungarian sport-legends lasted the longest, but after a creative and exciting game, they eventually conceded, as did the communities of Chess.com and ChessKid.
The lesson of the simul was summarized by Ayelén Martinez, a representative of Chess.com, the world's largest online chess community: "In chess, you usually play alone against your opponent. This community simul beautifully illustrates what Judit and the spirit of the festival stand for: chess brings us together, it connects us."
Chess revolution in education
On the second day of the festival, at the 4th Educational Chess Summit, Hungarian and international experts demonstrated how chess can fundamentally reform education and its positive effects on both physical and mental health.
Sebastian Siebrecht, a chess grandmaster and creator of the Fascination Chess program, has been organizing chess camps in German shopping malls for 22 years, where he teaches and inspires thousands of children weekly with his passion for the game.
Mads Jakobsen, CEO of the Danish Scholastic Chess Federation, said that the country has been involved in chess in schools for 15 years and will open the world's first chess facility, House of Chess - The Brain Gym, in Copenhagen next year. The initiative aims to redefine the role and methodology of chess in education and bring generations closer together.
Pep Suárez drew attention to unique areas in his talk. The psychologist and chess educator spoke about the therapeutic benefits of chess in connection with ASD (autism spectrum disorder), cancer, cognitive decline, and rehabilitation in prisons.
The Global Chess Festival was filled with inspiration
"This was the richest festival in terms of programs and experiences so far. Visitors came from all over the world – children and adults, Olympians, artists, influencers – to share the feeling of togetherness and the joy of playing chess.
It was uplifting to see Hungarian and international education experts draw inspiration from the chess-based programs and continue their work with motivation and determination, benefiting future generations. It was a joy to see the bright-eyed children, the amateurs and grandmasters chatting over the chess tables, and to witness a piece of chess history come to life on the canvas of the Labrosse artist couple. This year's Global Chess Festival once again proved that you don't need to be a chess player to be captivated by the events, to fly with the festival's flow, and to leave recharged with energy," said Judit Polgar in her closing remarks.
You can view this year's festival programs at the following link:
https://www.globalchessfestival.com/index.php/en/live
For more information: press@juditpolgar.com