Sofia Polgar facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Sofia Polgar |
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Polgar in 2004
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| Country | Hungary |
| Born | November 2, 1974 Budapest, Hungary |
| Title | International Master (1990) Woman Grandmaster (1990) |
| FIDE rating | 2450 (July 2025) [inactive] |
| Peak rating | 2505 (July 1998) |
Sofia Polgar (born November 2, 1974) is a famous chess player from Hungary and Israel. She is also a teacher and an artist. Sofia holds two important chess titles: International Master (IM) and Woman Grandmaster (WGM).
She was once a chess prodigy, meaning she was incredibly talented at chess from a very young age. Sofia is the middle sister of two other amazing chess players, Susan and Judit, who are both Grandmasters. Sofia has played for Hungary in four Chess Olympiads. There, she helped her team win two gold medals and one silver medal. She also won three individual gold medals and one individual bronze medal.
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Sofia's Early Life and Chess Journey
Sofia Polgar was born in Budapest, Hungary, into a Jewish family. She and her two sisters, Susan and Judit, were part of a special learning plan. Their father, László Polgár, wanted to show that children could become super talented if they started learning a special skill very early. He believed that "geniuses are made, not born."
So, Sofia and her sisters were taught at home by their parents, László and Klara. Chess was their main subject. They also learned Esperanto, an international language.
Amazing Chess Wins
In 1986, Sofia came in second at the World Youth Chess Championship for players under 14. She was named the world under-14 girls' champion.
In 1989, when she was just 14 years old, Sofia surprised everyone in the chess world. She played in a tournament in Rome, which became known as the "Sack of Rome." She won the tournament with an amazing score of 8½ points out of 9. Many strong grandmasters were playing in that tournament. Her performance was so good that it was considered one of the best in chess history!
Later, in 1994, Sofia finished second at the World Junior Chess Championship in Brazil.
Playing for Her Country
Sofia played for the Hungarian team in four Chess Olympiads. The Chess Olympiad is a big international team chess tournament. She won many medals for her team and herself:
- In 1988, her team won a gold medal.
- In 1990, her team won another gold medal, and she won an individual gold medal too.
- In 1994, her team won a silver medal, and she won an individual gold medal. She also had the best performance rating in the tournament.
- In 1996, she won an individual bronze medal.
For some time, Sofia was ranked as the sixth-strongest female chess player in the world. She hasn't played much official chess since 2003.
Playing Against Legends
Sofia has played against some of the greatest chess players. She once beat Viktor Korchnoi, a very strong grandmaster, in a game of fast chess.
In the summer of 1993, the famous chess champion Bobby Fischer visited the Polgar family in Hungary. Sofia and her sisters played many games of Fischer random chess with him. At one point, Sofia even beat Bobby Fischer three games in a row!
Sofia's Family Life
On February 7, 1999, Sofia married Yona Kosashvili, who is an Israeli Grandmaster. After they got married, she moved to Israel. They have two sons, named Alon and Yoav. Later, Sofia's parents also moved to Israel to be with them.
For a while, Sofia and her family lived in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. This was so her husband could continue his studies to become a doctor. In 2012, they moved back to Israel and now live near Tel Aviv.
See also
- List of Jewish chess players
