Susan Polgar

Born in Budapest, Susan Polgar became the world's highest-rated female player at fifteen. In 1991 she became the first woman to earn the grandmaster title through norms and rating. A norm is an exceptional performance in a demanding tournament; a player must collect the required norms and also reach the rating threshold set by the International Chess Federation.

In 1992 she won the women's world rapid and blitz championships, formats that give each player less time than classical chess. In 1996 she defeated Xie Jun to win the classical Women's World Chess Championship. Holding all three titles made her the first winner of that triple crown.

Polgar also earned twelve Olympiad medals and led the United States to team silver in 2004. She later built a prominent career as a collegiate coach, organizer, and advocate. Her significance combines elite results, success in open competition, and institutional work that expanded participation in chess.