Chennai, Feb 12 (.) ‘Queen of Chess’, a documentary on the legendary woman chess player Judit Polgar, the youngest of the famous Polgar sisters (the other two being Susan and Sofia) in the chess field, has taken the members of the Indian ‘chess sisters club’ down their memory lane.
They also gave positive reviews for the documentary on Netflix.
Like the three Polgar sisters in Hungary who made their mark in the global chess world, India too has two chess sisters club-Khaldilkar and Subbaraman sisters, who have left their imprint in Indian chess.
However, it was the Khadilkar sisters, Woman International Master (WIM) Vasanti, WIM Jayashree, and WIM Rohini, coached by their father, journalist Nilkanth Khadilkar, who had laid the path for other Indian female chess players, including the Subbaraman sisters, Woman Grandmasters (WGM) Vijayalakshmi, WGM Meenakshi, and Banupriya.
Interestingly, the members of the ‘chess sisters club,’ women’s former world champion Susan Polgar, Indian women’s former champion and Woman International Master (WIM) Jayashree Khadilkar, and Woman GM (WGM) Meenakshi Subbaraman, share their view of the documentary ‘Queen of Chess’ directed by Rory Kennedy and released on Netflix recently.
Also, the young IM and WGM Vantika Agrawal, who had trained under Judit, shares her experience of training with the legend and her view of the documentary.
“The documentary ‘Queen of Chess’ was refreshing, gripping in a positive and motivating way! It reminded me of my early chess days with three of us hard practising and competing while my father literally put everything (our social lives, his career, etc.) behind the 64 squares,” Meenakshi said.
“He was more of a chess coach than a father! I strongly believe that great chess players, irrespective of gender, can be moulded and the parent/Coach plays a very instrumental role in it,” Meenakshi remarked.
According to Meenakshi, Judit was the greatest inspiration for women not only in the field of chess. Judit helped to break the psychological barrier to prove that women can compete and beat men in the toughest competitive game at the highest level if they are perfectly trained.
“I have been a huge fan of Judit Polgar. Watching Judit’s career and her journey in “Queen of Chess” was truly captivating. Judit’s determination and resilience in the face of adversity, including overcoming political challenges and breaking barriers in a male-dominated sport, are a testament to her strength and character.”
“Her encounters with former World Champion Garry Kasparov are fascinating, showcasing their aggressive and dynamic playing styles,” Vantika commented.
“However, the documentary seems to be more focused on her games against Kasparov. Judit’s games against former World Champion V. Anand and other top players at the time, with insights from both players, would have been interesting to watch. Further, it would have been interesting to learn more about Judit’s experience at the Open Olympiad, where she won a silver medal alongside Peter Leko and other teammates,” Vantika added.
Vantika was one of the Indian upcoming chess talents trained by Judit in 2024 in Budapest, Hungary.
Recalling those training sessions, Vantika said the sessions were intensive and invaluable as she shared her expertise and insights gained from her illustrious career.
“We delved into various aspects of chess, including strategy, decision-making, and psychological preparation. Judit shared some of her most iconic games, revealing her thought process and approach to critical moments. Her exceptional skill and ability to capitalize on advantages left a lasting impression on me,” Vantika said.
The camp also provided a unique chance to learn from her experiences playing against top players like Anand and Kasparov. We had lively discussions about the benefits of competing in Open and Women’s tournaments, and how playing against stronger opponents had contributed to her growth as a player, Vantika mused.
“The atmosphere was relaxed during lunch breaks, where we would share meals and hear Judit recount stories about her encounters with chess legends. One memorable day, she even prepared delicious Indian food for us,” Vantika reminisced.
Vantika said Judit’s guidance had a significant impact on her performance, and later that year, as she won double gold at the Chess Olympiad 2024 in Budapest, scoring 7.5/9 and contributing to India’s record victory.
According to Vantika, the gender focused documentary title ‘Queen of Chess’ is justified even though Judit and her sisters fought against the system that was male-dominated.
“Judit is the best female chess player of all time with an impressive record that spans over two decades. She maintained her position as the world’s top-ranked female player for more than 25 years, a testament to her enduring excellence. Notably, she remains the only female player to have surpassed the 2700 rating mark, a feat that has yet to be replicated by any other woman in the chess world,” Vantika said.
On the other hand, WIM Jayashree Khadilkar was of the view that the documentary had a generic title to denote the achievements of the Polgar sisters and not just a gender oriented one.
The Khadilkar sisters were known as India’s Polgar Sisters.
Curiously, the lives of Khadilkar and Polgar sisters ran parallel, three sisters, a father who wanted the daughters to achieve, a mother who supported, a non-supportive government, and other aspects.
Khadilkar said her father wanted his daughters to take sports as a career, and selection is based on individual performance. He decided to teach chess.
Jayashree is of the view that geniuses are not made but born and then nurtured to reach great heights, a view different from her own and also that of the views of Polgar’s sister’s father.
According to Jayashree, the Polgar and Khadilkar sisters stood out as they entered the men’s arena, and the two fathers had to fight it out for that.
In respect of Khadilkar sisters, their father Nilkanth had to approach the International Chess Federation/FIDE and the Courts so that his daughters could play against all and not just in the women’s segment.
The Khadilkar sisters were the first ones to play in the open tournaments, which in turn opened the doors for the next generations.
After Judit, no other woman chess player broke into the top 100 rank in the open category
According to Jayashree, the documentary ‘Queen of Chess’ made her relive their and her sisters’ days of passionate chess.
. VJ VAN .