In that spirit, the Day of celebration of chess included a number of new activities such as chess boxing, spectacular chess dance, as well as an amazing escape by the escape artist David Merlini.
Celebrity guests included George Soros, Bessel Kok, Alisa Maric, Andrea Temesvari, Ivan Fischer, a number of Ambassadors to Hungary (Serbia, Israel, and Canada), and countless other people from the world of sports, theatre, politics, business, and media, etc.
Of course the highlight for the chess fans was the traditional yearly 100 board simul by the three sisters. In addition, there were two other simuls, one against mayors from various parts of Hungary, and another against kids from all EU nation countries.
The notion that chess is not attractive to the media is simply wrong. It can be so exciting if it is done right as thousands of people showed up to be a part of this wonderful annual event.
More people showed up for the one day Polgar Chess Day in Budapest than a month long Women’s World Championship in Khanty Mansiysk.
Maybe that’s because a one-day commitment in Hungary is more convenient than a month in freezing Russia.