The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York is commemorating the legacy of Marcel Duchamp, a French artist and key figure in the Dada movement, with a special chess-themed event on July 28. The occasion marks what would have been Duchamp’s 139th birthday and coincides with an ongoing retrospective of his work on the museum’s sixth floor.

Duchamp, who lived from 1887 to 1968, famously shifted his focus from art to chess, dedicating much of his life to the game after declaring his artistic career complete. Known for his philosophical approach to art, Duchamp played a pivotal role in moving art beyond traditional craft toward conceptual expression. His connection to chess was both personal and professional; he competed in tournaments and embraced the game as an extension of his artistic thinking.

The highlight of the event will be a simultaneous chess exhibition, or simul, in the MoMA lobby, where Hungarian-born grandmaster Susan Polgar will face roughly 50 opponents from the art world, including artists, historians, and curators. Polgar, who resides in Florida and became the first woman to earn the grandmaster title in 1991, will play all opponents simultaneously with a clock handicap, reflecting the format of a similar event held at MoMA during Duchamp’s first retrospective in 1974.

Francis Naumann, a Duchamp scholar and former art dealer who helped organize the event, noted that while the art participants are not necessarily strong players, the event celebrates Duchamp’s lifelong passion. Duchamp’s engagement with chess was not without personal cost; his first marriage ended reportedly due in part to his chess obsession. However, his second marriage to Alexina Sattler, a fellow chess enthusiast, provided a more harmonious partnership.

The retrospective contextualizes Duchamp’s fascination with chess through artworks such as his painting “The Chess Game” (1910), which depicts his brothers mid-match, and highlights the symbolic nature of the game in his life and work. MoMA’s lobby will feature artist-designed chess tables, including minimalist sculptures by Carol Bove and the provocative all-white chess set by Yoko Ono, which challenges players’ competitive instincts by making pieces indistinguishable.

While Duchamp considered chess an art form—a view reflected in his assertion that all chess players are artists—opinions on this vary. Some, like notable art adviser Amy Cappellazzo, regard chess more as mental exercise than a creative discipline, arguing its rigid rules limit innovation. Others acknowledge the game’s deep strategic complexity and cultural history, noting its roots in medieval society and the unique empowerment embodied by the queen piece.

The event also taps into the modern chess resurgence fueled by digital platforms and popular culture phenomena such as the Netflix series “The Queen’s Gambit.” Polgar, who rejects some of the series’ fictional portrayals, emphasizes physical fitness and discipline as essential to her success in the game.

Through this celebration, MoMA not only honors Duchamp’s artistic and intellectual legacy but also highlights the enduring cultural resonance of chess as a game that bridges art, philosophy, and competition.