10-Year-Old Bodhana Sivanandan Beats a Grandmaster
In a stunning display of talent, 10-year-old English prodigy Bodhana Sivanandan from Harrow, London, has etched her name into chess history as the youngest female player to defeat a grandmaster.
On August 10, 2025, during the final round of the 111th British Chess Championship in Liverpool, the young prodigy outplayed 60-year-old Grandmaster Peter Wells, breaking a record previously held by American Carissa Yip in 2019. At just 10 years, five months, and three days old, Bodhana surpassed Yip’s mark by over six months, cementing her status as a rising star.
Bodhana, a WFM of Indian Tamil descent, also secured her third norm to earn the Woman International Master (WIM) title, becoming the youngest ever to achieve this feat, eclipsing a record set by GM Zhansaya Abdumalik in 2011.
Starting chess at age five during the COVID-19 lockdown, Bodhana’s journey began with a discarded chess set at home. Her strategic brilliance has already earned her the second highest title in women’s chess, along with many records. With aspirations to become a world champion, Bodhana’s remarkable performance signals a bright future for British chess.
