Judit Polgar’s Global Chess Festival starts in just three days!
The countdown for Judit Polgar’s Global Chess Festival has begun, and in just three days, on 30th September, the Hungarian National Gallery will open its doors for chess lovers around the world. You can explore different dimensions of chess and meet the legendary Polgar sisters in person. There will be exciting activities for all ages, including RubikChess, which combines chess and Rubik’s Cube, interactive games, a community simul with Judit Polgar, and an opportunity to try the world’s first AI-powered chess robot. All chess lovers from around the globe will enjoy this festival of creativity and innovation. Read the full article to discover more about this festival. Photo: Amruta Mokal
Chess outside the chessboard!
Do you wait eagerly for your favorite festival each year? Out of the 365 days, there are always a few that feel extra special. Those are the days when families and friends come together and celebrate. Chess too has its own festival, one that unites people from different parts of the world. I am talking about Judit Polgar’s Global Chess Festival. And like every year, this year too promises to be more than just a chess event.
The Hungarian National Gallery will open its doors for this festival on 30th September 2025. This will be the 11th edition of the festival, and as usual, thousands of visitors are expected to join in. You can explore different facets of chess like sports, arts, education, and technology, and discover each one of them. Not to forget, this can be your chance to meet the legendary Polgar sisters in person!
RubikChess will take centre stage in this edition. It’s a new team format that blends the strategic elements of chess with the logical challenges of the Rubik’s Cube. How interesting does that sound? It’s playful, it’s challenging, and it perfectly resonates with the festival’s spirit. Basically, everything at this festival will be about creativity and innovation.
For Judit Polgar, the festival has always been deeply personal. She explained:
“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. 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.”
The festival’s vision also resonates with its sponsors. Morgan Stanley is the main sponsor of this event. On their behalf, Norbert Fogarasi, head of the Budapest office, said:
“Chess shows us how play can grow into deep thinking, strategy, and innovation. We see it in our own work culture—team-building challenges, tournaments, and global competitions that connect over a thousand colleagues worldwide. Play opens minds, sparks ideas, and builds confidence.”
And of course, the excitement doesn’t end there. There will be a RubikChess tournament as well. You will be amazed to know that 50 teams have already signed up for it! You will find the format exciting as it involves one teammate battling on the chessboard, and the other will be solving a Rubik’s Cube. The result will depend entirely on their speed.
There will be a community simul with Judit Polgar as well. She will play against six different communities, including chess creators and representatives from various fields. Check out some amazing photos from last year's simul:
In short, the Global Chess Festival is not just for professionals. It’s for the child playing their very first game, for the adult rediscovering a long-lost passion, and for the seasoned player who wants some fresh challenges. It is, in every sense, a festival where chess comes alive!
Check out the official website here.
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