Kriti Mehrotra
With Netflix’s ‘Queen of Chess’ delving deep into the experiences of Judit Polgár, who has long been considered the greatest female chess player of all time, we get a thrilling insight into her life. It comprises everything from her being a child prodigy thanks to her father, her own passion for the game, her successes, and her decision to slow down upon falling in love with the man of her dreams. The latter is none other than Gusztáv Font, whose presence alone brought more joy to the Grandmaster than she could have ever imagined because he understood every aspect of who she is.
Gusztáv Font and Judit Polgár Have Been in Matrimonial Bliss For Over 25 Years
It was in the early summer of 1999 that Judit Polgár first came across fellow Hungarian native Gusztáv Font by pure chance after having taken the beloved family dog to a local veterinarian for a check-up. According to the latter’s accounts, he was working at a clinic upon having graduated from the University of Veterinary Medicine when a “red-haired girl” came in and truly took his breath away. He recognized her because of his own passion for sports, especially chess, which drove him to deviate from protocol and bluntly ask her if they should go play tennis to get to know one another.
Judit agreed to his suggestion without hesitation, having already been charmed by his bright smile, extroverted personality, and warm essence — he had a natural ability to make her feel comfortable. “What makes a man fall for a woman?,” Gusztáv asked in the documentary. “For thousands of years, there has been no easy answer to this question. With her smiling eyes and red hair, she had a fire about her, an energy. And from the very first moment, she said what she meant. I found that to be a very sexy thing.” The Grandmaster shared similar sentiments, resulting in them falling head over heels in love.
Since Judit had learned of her then-boyfriend’s love for sports not long after they had first met, she always took his opinions into consideration before any major event. She knew Gusztáv had her best interest at heart, so when he told her there are not two but three results to every match – win, lose, and draw – she started moving a little differently to maintain her points. He was there by her side at every step of the way, which didn’t waver even after they tied the knot in August 2000 and soon welcomed 2 adorable children into the world. According to her accounts, she loved his company whenever she had to travel for tournaments because he was always one of her biggest supporters.
Gusztáv Font Has Found a Balance Between His Career, Passion, and Family Life
When Judit retired from competitive chess in 2014 to be more present with her family, especially her son, Olivér (born 2004), and daughter, Hanna (born 2006), Gusztáv happily championed her. He reportedly didn’t ask her to focus more on their unit over her career — being a family woman was entirely her choice, one she had started making clear from the early 2000s itself. It thus comes as no surprise that he has also long found a way to juggle all his endeavors so as to prioritize his wife, their children, as well as their extended loved ones. In fact, with an empty nest now, it appears as if he is still dedicated to spending quality time with his partner of over 26 years as of writing.
On a professional level, Gusztáv has found a way to build a stable, steady, and successful career in the two fields he has had a keen interest in since early childhood — animal care and sports. According to records, the Hungarian graduated from the University of Veterinary Medicine with a doctorate in 1995, following which he gained experience as a small-animal veterinarian in several countries. He worked in the Netherlands, Austria, Germany, the US, and Ecuador over a period of 4 years before returning to his homeland and landing a position at the City Centre Veterinary Clinic.
Gusztáv has been serving at this veterinary facility since 1999, during which he has also earned a Ph.D. from Semmelweis University in 2005 and a specialist degree in exotic animals in 2008. So, today, the 55-year-old proudly serves as an Exotic Animal Specialist, all the while maintaining his love for sports and turning it into sports diplomacy. In fact, having been elected as Hungary’s International Chess Federation delegate in 2011 and having evolved into a trainer under its banner in 2014, he now even helps several international organizations rise in the chess world. Amongst them is ChessBase India.
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