Webster University's Susan Polgar is committed to inspiring more girls in chess

— -- Chess is a game long dominated by men. The world champions have always been men. The Grandmaster title -- the highest title in the game -- is carried by more than 1,500 men and just 33 women. Two years ago, Chess.com created an imaginary tournament that pitted the 16 greatest chess players of all time against one another. All 16 were men.

Susan Polgar is not a man. But at 15, she catapulted to the top ranking in female chess and held a position in the top three for 23 years. She broke gender barriers -- first woman to qualify for the Men's World Championship Cycle, first to earn the Grandmaster title and first to win the U.S. Open Men's Blitz Championship -- and now, after retiring from competitive play, she hopes to bring chess to the masses of young girls who, for centuries, have been neglected by the male-dominated game.

Hours earlier, she crossed her arms and paced around the silent playing hall, walking by long tables with bronzed chairs. Just two girls remained from dozens, playing one final, championship game with a $48,000 Webster scholarship on the line, waging 32 plastic pieces on 64 squares in a miniature, high-stakes war.