At the age of 17, in 1967 she won her first national title, the Hungarian Women Chess Championship.

In the seventies, during the Soviet-dominant chess era, she ranked as one of the world's top players.

She defeated the reigning world champion, Nona Gaprindashvili twice in international tournaments.

Beside her chess career, together with her husband and coach András Budinszky, she has raised three children.

Her brother was actor and director of the Hungarian National Theatre, Csaba Ivánka.