Bodhana Sivanandan becomes youngest female to defeat chess grandmaster at age 10

Bodhana Sivanandan, a 10-year-old from the United Kingdom, has become the youngest female player to defeat a chess grandmaster. She achieved the milestone at the 2025 British Chess Championships in Liverpool, beating 60-year-old Peter Wells in the final.

According to the International Chess Federation, Bodhana is around six months younger than the previous record holder, an American player who set the benchmark in 2019.

Her win has earned her the title of International Master, placing her one step below grandmaster status.

Bodhana’s rise in the chess world began several years ago. At eight, she was named the best female player at the European Blitz Chess Championship in Croatia. The following year, she became the youngest person to represent England internationally.

English chess master Lawrence Trent described her as “one of the greatest talents I’ve witnessed in recent memory.”

Speaking to the BBC last year, Bodhana shared that she started playing at age five during the Covid-19 pandemic. A chess set, given to her family by a friend before returning to India, sparked her interest.

“I wanted to use the pieces as toys,” she said. “Instead, my dad said that I could play the game, and then I started from there.”

Bodhana’s latest victory places her among the youngest players to secure a win at this level, further solidifying her reputation as one of the sport’s most promising talents.

Her performance in Liverpool is expected to inspire more young players, especially girls, to take up competitive chess.