Judit Polgar Shows Her Best Game Ever (vs. Anand, 1999)

In a new Chess.com video, GM Judit Polgar shared what she considers her best game ever, against GM Viswanathan Anand in 1999 in Dos Hermanas, Spain. The first Indian to become a grandmaster would go on to earn his first of five world champion titles the next year.

You can watch the video below and read on to see some of the highlights with her comments.

Polgar, known as a fierce attacker, said she wanted a sharp battle in this game. From the white side of a Najdorf Sicilian, the Hungarian sacrificed her knight straight out of the opening, on move nine, and then sacrificed a second one not long after.

She was left with two minor pieces against four, but her compensation was an uncastled enemy king. Polgar said, "My knights are missing, my favorite pieces. At the same time... I have two pawns in return... Black has to be very careful. I can tell you that I felt during the game that Anand was not happy that we were playing this position."

I can tell you that I felt during the game that Anand was not happy that we were playing this position.

"I remember Vishy played very fast and made a mistake," showing that 15.Rg1 0-0? was a step in the wrong direction. 15...Qc7 was best, instead of castling. After 17...Kh8, Polgar said, "Of course, he wants to go out, safety, safety. But it seemed like the 64 squares were not enough to have safety for the king."

 It seemed like the 64 squares were not enough to have safety for the king.

After 20...f6, a sad move to make, she remarked, "Look at this bishop. Is that a bishop or a pawn?" Black's own pawn also got in the way of any possible ...Nf6. A few moves later, after 22.Bc4, Polgar said, "I stop Black from getting any activity."

And now for the coup de grace, 28.b3!. Polgar brought us into the moment:

After ...b4, this is the position where I remember exactly... I made a move which I felt that maybe it's not the best move in the position, but it's the best move psychologically to win the game.... I remember when I played b3 I also felt that the game was over. There is simply no move for Black.

I remember when I played b3 I also felt that the game was over.

The game didn't last much longer, but Polgar observed a poetic turn of events: "Finally, there is equal material for the first time in the game. At the same time, White's position is much better." Black resigned in a position with equal material.

Full Game

Speaking a bit after showing the game, Polgar said, "It had a very big impact on me. And ever since, I am very happy to talk about this game because it was very special." She also let us in on off-the-board developments around the same time: "Also, I was in a very special moment in my personal life... I was engaged with my future husband already, so of course everybody's talking, but of course after that everybody was talking more about this game than my private life."

Of course after that everybody was talking more about this game than about my private life.

The tournament wasn't spectacular. Polgar won two games—another against GM Peter Svider—but lost four and drew three. Still, this one game shines brighter than all the others. As she said, "This single game was worth the whole tournament."