The magic of chess comes to the National Gallery – 11th Judit Polgár’s Global Chess Festival
Chess is not just a sport, but a way of thinking, a creative adventure, and a shared experience. This is the message once again carried forward by the Judit Polgár’s Global Chess Festival, which will welcome visitors for the eleventh time on September 30, in the impressive halls of the Hungarian National Gallery.
The Global Chess Festival builds bridges between sport, art, education, and digital innovation
At this large-scale, all-day event, thousands of visitors will have the chance to meet the world-famous Polgár sisters in person while discovering the many faces of chess. This year’s festival highlight is RubikChess, a unique mixed-pair team game that combines the strategic elements of chess with the logical challenges of the Rubik’s Cube.
The Global Chess Festival has always been about more than the 64 squares: it builds bridges between sport, art, education, and digital innovation. Visitors will not only enjoy the classical chess experience but also see how the game comes to life in diverse fields – on the canvas, in education, and through technological development. The festival’s keywords are play, inspiration, and experience – all within the stunning setting of the Hungarian National Gallery.
- Judit Polgár named most influential female chess player of the last century
The festival is an event of international significance: it speaks to the world through the language of chess, connecting generations, cultures, and ways of thinking.
Judit Polgár: a former chessboxing world champion will also participate
Judit Polgár, founder and chief organizer of the Global Chess Festival, emphasized about this year’s program:
“The Global Chess Festival is a special experience for me every year. I personally take part in both designing and organizing the programs. This year, I’m especially looking forward to the community simul, where I’ll be playing simultaneously on six boards, each against a different community. There will be Spanish and Hungarian teams, a former chessboxing world champion, and the world’s largest chess platforms will also join the game. It’s all very exciting! Visitors can also try the world’s first AI-powered chess robot, while the Momentán Theatre group will engage the audience in interactive improvisation games.
- Hungarian chess legend Polgár beats the Norwegian chess world champion!
Every program element represents value for us – our goal is to convey these in an enjoyable way for all generations. I believe that play and thinking together are inspiring, and this inspiration is what we want to share in every moment of the festival.”
Chess: deep thinking, strategy, and innovation
Norbert Fogarasi, representing Morgan Stanley, the festival’s main sponsor, added:
“Chess is a perfect example of how play can evolve into a source of deep thinking, strategy, and innovation. At Morgan Stanley’s Budapest office, we have spent years building initiatives that nurture creativity, perseverance, and collaboration in playful ways – from team-building challenges and internal chess tournaments to our global online competition that now brings together more than a thousand players from over 40 cities worldwide.
We have seen firsthand how play encourages colleagues to think more openly, explore new solutions with greater confidence, and excel at the highest levels of the financial world – whether in technology or quantitative financial modeling. This is why it is both important and a true honor for us to support Judit Polgár’s Global Chess Festival for the seventh consecutive year, an event that so powerfully demonstrates the role of play as a source of inspiration across society.”
RubikChess tournament
The festival will also host a RubikChess tournament with 50 teams, the lineup filling up quickly after the event was announced. In this special-format competition, one member of the mixed pair battles on the chessboard while the partner solves a Rubik’s Cube puzzle – their solution directly influencing the progress of the chess game.
As every year, the festival promises plenty of new experiences, exciting encounters, and unforgettable moments – whether for beginners, aspiring masters, children, or adults.
The 11th Judit Polgár’s Global Chess Festival invites everyone to step into the magical universe of chess!
Check out the programmes by clicking on the event’s official website.
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