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Chessville
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Judit Polgar: The Princess Of Chess Reviewed by Prof. Nagesh Havanur
Her numerous victims see her as a tigress on the prowl, seizing on the
slightest opportunity and going for the kill. Her GM colleagues see
her as an old fox who knows every trick of the game. But to her legions of fans Judit Polgar remains the Princess Of Chess, who has brought charm and grace to the world of 64 squares. After a brief absence (necessitated by confinement and recent motherhood) she came back with a bang at the Wijk aan Zee 2005 Tournament, beating such heavyweights as Svidler, Topalov and Sokolov. (Ed.: See how she dispatched Svidler in a mere 30 moves of his Spanish Marshall.) The book under review is a collection of 89 richly annotated games and positions spanning Judit’s entire career from the childhood to the present (1984-2003). The index of opponents reads like Who’s Who in modern chess: Kasparov, Anand, Shirov, Ivanchuk, Karpov and Spassky among others. Only Kramnik and Leko do not figure in the list. The author, IM Tibor Károlyi, a former champion of Hungary, is a chess writer and a professional trainer. He has observed the remarkable rise of the Polgar sisters for the last 20 years. He can also lay claim to the knowledge of an insider as he did coach Judit’s sisters, Zsusza and Sofia in the early years.
Yet the book raises quite a few intriguing questions. The author did not consult Judit at the time of writing it.
This is far from convincing. The book would have benefited if the author had sought and obtained creative collaboration from Judit Polgar. In fairness to the author it should be stated that he has produced a considerable amount of independent analysis for each game. While the author is full of praise for the courage and determination of the Polgar parents, he is also critical of them. He suggests that they alienated other chess players in Hungary by their aggressive pursuit of their daughters’ careers. He also maintains that the early trainers of the Polgar sisters did not receive the recognition they deserved. While there is an undercurrent of resentment in this charge, it is not without merit. The Polgar family has seldom acknowledged the contribution of the humble trainers to the chess career of their daughters.
But then the relationship between a trainer and his protégé at the best of times is tenuous. Expectations are high, and rewards are meager. As the protégé grows out of the influence of his mentor, the relationship comes under strain. The classic case is that of Spassky and Tolush, a demanding and domineering personality who treated young Boris like his own son. The parting of ways came as a bitter blow to Tolush. A happy relationship like that of Tal and Koblenz, or Anand and Ubilava, is the exception rather than the rule. A wise trainer should have the detachment to step aside once his protégé no longer needs him and expect nothing from him in return.
There is a fair amount of biographical detail in the book. The account of Judit’s courtship is, especially, charming:
Unfortunately, the rest of the narrative in the book is marred by the
author’s personal prejudice against the Polgar family and his inability to
get even basic facts like Judit’s date of birth right. This part of the
book should be treated with caution.
Otherwise the book is a fine collection of Judit’s games
with excellent analysis by the author. Indeed, it is what matters
most. The following game is a wonderful contest between two great tactical minds: Alexei Shirov-Judit Polgar
Recommended.
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