10-Year-Old British-Indian Bodhana Sivanandan Creates Chess History, Becomes Youngest Girl To...
Story by Times Now Digital
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10-year-old british-indian bodhana sivanandan creates chess history, becomes youngest girl to beat a grandmaster
British sensation Bodhana Sivanandan created history by becoming the youngest female chess player ever to beat a grandmaster.
The 10-year-old, from Harrow, pulled off the win on Sunday against 60-year-old Grandmaster Peter Wells in the last round of the 2025 British Chess Championships in Liverpool.
Sivanandan’s victory at 10 years, five months and three days beats the 2019 record held by American Carissa Yip (10 years, 11 months and 20 days).
Meanwhile, Siva, Bodhana Sivanandan's father, expressed surprise and wondered about where his little daughter got her talent from.
“I’m an engineering graduate, as is my wife, but I’m not good at chess. I tried a couple of league games, but I was very poor,” Siva said.
Bodhana picked up chess during lockdown at the age of five. A friend of her father's was clearing out his garage and planned to throw away a chess set, which Tamil Nadu-born Siva brought home intending to donate to charity.
Bodhana's curiosity was piqued by the chess pieces, like the king and the knight. She also started watching YouTube videos about chess and began playing online against strangers.
Today, the little champion dreams of becoming a grandmaster, the highest title in international chess, and aims to be the women's world champion.
Chess legend Susan Polgar hailed her achievement and wrote: "Bodhana Sivanandan became the youngest girl to defeat a GM at just 10 years old (5 months and 3 days) in the final round of the 2025 British Chess Championships! The previous record was held by IM Carissa Yip."