Just 10 years old, Bodhana Sivanandan has achieved a milestone that has placed her in the record books of world chess.
Her victory against Grandmaster Peter Wells at the British Chess Championships in Liverpool has made her the youngest female player in history to defeat a grandmaster in a classical game.
Sivanandan achieved her remarkable victory at just 10 years, 5 months, and 3 days old, surpassing the previous record held by American Carissa Yip, who was 10 years, 11 months, and 20 days when she defeated a grandmaster in 2019.
The International Chess Federation, FIDE, officially recognized Sivanandan’s accomplishment, describing it as an extraordinary achievement for her age and a landmark moment in the history of chess.
Also Read: Onakoya sets new record as longest chess marathon player
Her success in Liverpool also secured her final norm for the Woman International Master,WIM, title, making her the youngest person in history to achieve it.
The WIM title is one step below the Woman Grandmaster rank, while the highest title in chess is grandmaster — a title held by current world champion Gukesh Dommaraju and long-time world No. 1 Magnus Carlsen.
Sivanandan’s journey into chess began during the Covid-19 pandemic when she was just five years old.
A family friend had gifted her family several bags of toys and books, and among them was a chessboard. Curious about the pieces, she wanted to use them as toys, but her father encouraged her to learn the game instead.
This moment became the foundation of her rapid rise in chess.
Her progress since then has been consistent and impressive. In 2023, at the age of eight, she won the under-8 category at the World Cadet Chess Championship in Egypt.
By 2024, she had earned the Woman FIDE Master title and was selected to represent England at the Chess Olympiad in Budapest, becoming the youngest person ever to represent England in any sport.
In July 2025, just weeks before her record-breaking victory in Liverpool, she became the youngest player to earn a Woman Grandmaster norm at the Aix-en-Provence tournament in France.
During that tournament, she defeated world-class opponents, including Hou Yifan, the strongest female player of the past two decades. That performance established her as one of the fastest-rising stars in the chess world.
At the British Chess Championships, her game against Peter Wells was closely watched. Wells, aged 60, is a highly respected grandmaster and former British champion.
Despite his experience, Sivanandan maintained composure throughout the match and secured victory, setting a new global record.
Her current live rating has crossed 2300, a benchmark that places her firmly among elite players at her age. With the WIM title now officially hers, she has joined a select group of players who have made history before turning their teenage years.
FIDE, along with leading chess commentators and organisers, has acknowledged her achievements.
The governing body of world chess highlighted that Sivanandan’s records — youngest girl to defeat a grandmaster in a classical game and youngest player to achieve the WIM title — stand as new milestones for women’s chess.
For Britain, her rise adds to a growing list of young talents making their mark on the international stage.
Her victory in Liverpool was part of a tournament that also saw Michael Adams secure his ninth British title, underlining the strength of English chess across generations.
From picking up the game in her living room during lockdown to setting world records before her 11th birthday, Bodhana Sivanandan’s path has been built on rapid progress, consistent results, and breakthrough performances.
With two world records to her name and international recognition at just 10 years old, she has established herself as one of the most promising players of her generation.
Reported by CNN
