Historic Victory in Liverpool
Bodhana Sivanandan after her record-breaking win in Liverpool
Bodhana Sivanandan is officially the youngest woman to defeat a grandmaster after making history in the game of chess.
The 10-year-old northwest Londoner achieved this at the 2025 British Chess Championships in Liverpool.
She had beaten 60-year-old grandmaster Peter Wells in the final round of the tournament on Sunday.
Sivanandan was 10 years, five months and three days old when she shattered the previous record set by American Carissa Yip.
Yip was 10 years, 11 months and 20 days old when she defeated a grandmaster in 2019.
Rise to Woman International Master
Sivanandan was declared a woman international master after her win, as awarded to her by the International Chess Federation (FIDE).
The title is under woman grandmaster, which is the highest title in chess sports for a woman.
Grandmaster is the sport’s top title and a lifetime one for the world’s top players such as Magnus Carlsen and Gukesh Dommaraju.
FIDE went on social media to announce Sivanandan’s record, offering her their congratulations for her performance at Liverpool.
Early Introduction to Chess
Bodhana learned chess at age five during lockdown
Sivanandan was introduced to the game of chess at the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic lockdown when she was only five years old.
A friend from the family gave the family gifts of toys and books, such as a chessboard, to the family prior to her journey to India.
She initially suggested playing with the pieces as toys, but her dad encouraged her to learn the game.
She began to play and became fond of the game immediately.
Family With No Chess History
Her dad Siva, in an interview for the BBC in 2024, described how no one in their family was ever able to play the game of chess.
They and his wife were graduates in engineering, and no family member had ever played at chess championships.
He was delighted as a dad to have his daughter win, describing that they were content if only she enjoyed playing.
He further stated that the concern of the family was her performance in the game
Achievements Before the Record
Bodhana receiving a trophy at a chess tournament
Sivanandan’s talent had been recognized well before she had broken the record.
She was selected for England’s Women’s Team at the Chess Olympiad in Hungary in 2024 and was the youngest England representative abroad in any sport.
She was the winner, aged eight years old, of the European Blitz Chess Championship in Croatia, title of top female player.
English chess grandmaster Lawrence Trent has also described her as one of the greatest young players in recent years.
Praise Within the Chess Community
World chess master Malcolm Pein praised Sivanandan for being humble and composed, considering her exemplary genius.
He believed that she would be able to take the top of the game by storm.
Her recent victory places her in the same category as other young child prodigy players who established themselves as great chess players.
Ashwath Kaushik was the youngest player in history at eight years old to defeat a grandmaster when he did so in 2024.
Players competing at the 2025 British Chess Championships
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Final Thoughts
Bodhana Sivanandan’s victory over Peter Wells has set a new benchmark for young women’s chess players everywhere.
Her journey from learning chess in lockdown to earning the woman international master title reflects rapid growth and determination.
Her success is just one of several others that are now accumulating, with her being among the brightest young champions of the game.
She conveyed her wish to become one day a grandmaster and be titled.
