Hailing from London, 10-year-old Bodhana Sivanandan has become the youngest female player to defeat a Grandmaster.
Meet the new international chess prodigy: Only 10 years old and already beating Grandmasters
On National Chess Day, we take a look at 10-year-old Bodhana Sivanandan, who has been hitting the headlines and appears destined to take the world of chess by storm.
The Londoner recently became the youngest female player in history to defeat a grandmaster in a classical tournament game when she beat Grandmaster Peter Wells at the 2025 British Chess Championships. This victory also earned her the Woman International Master (WIM) title, making her the youngest to achieve this distinction.
10-year-old Bodhana Sivanandan 🏴 brings her own seat to the board — nothing’s stopping her! 🪑♟️ #FIDERapidBlitzTeams pic.twitter.com/UB8adI0QZ1
— International Chess Federation (@FIDE_chess) June 12, 2025
Bodhana, who is of Indian descent, started playing chess at the age of five during the Covid-19 pandemic. She has quickly risen through the ranks and is considered one of the most promising young chess talents in the world.
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Speaking to the BBC, the Londoner stated: “I wanted to use the chess pieces as toys. Instead, my dad said that I could play the game, and then I started from there.”
A quiet chess revolution is happening in the UK. From packed city clubs to grassroots tournaments, the game is steadily regaining ground.
— BritishChessMagazine (@BCMChess) August 17, 2025
The August issue of British Chess Magazine celebrates this resurgence. Here’s what’s inside 👇 pic.twitter.com/nzajegvEkP
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