An 11-year-old British chess star has officially made history by becoming the youngest woman grandmaster in the sport’s existence. Bodhana Sivanandan, a youngest chess prodigy from Harrow, north-west London, secured her third and final norm required for the title while playing on England’s top board at the 46th Chess Olympiad in Samarkand, Uzbekistan. The International Chess Federation (Fide) confirmed her achievement, marking a major milestone in her rapid rise through international competition.
The schoolgirl delivered a formidable performance on the top board, competing in all 11 rounds and ending the tournament with eight points. Having already cleared the 2300 Fide rating threshold needed for the title, her third norm locked in the record. Speaking after her historic run, Sivanandan said: “I’m happy to do it, but I want to keep going and keep making history as well, instead of just stopping here.”
Breaking Records Across the Board for Every Youngest Chess Prodigy
The previous age record for the woman grandmaster title belonged to Kateryna Lagno, who earned the rank at age 12. China’s Hou Yifan also attained the WGM status at 12 before later becoming the youngest player to claim the open grandmaster title at 14.
The WGM title stands as the highest female-only designation in global chess and remains held for life. However, Sivanandan’s achievements in Uzbekistan extended beyond that single feat. Her high-level play also earned her a second Fide international master norm, moving her closer to the higher, open-gender title. To earn the International Master rank, players must secure three qualifying norms alongside a minimum 2400 rating.
When asked about her connection to the sport, Sivanandan highlighted how her travels and training intersect with her everyday education. “I like travelling and also because I do full-time school as well, it links to loads of school subjects, so it’s really useful there as well,” she said.
From Lockdown Learner to World Class Competitor
Her rapid progress continues to surprise even her family. Her father, Siva, admitted he does not know where her gift originated, noting that neither he nor his wife—both engineering graduates—play chess at a high level.
Sivanandan taught herself the rules during the pandemic lockdowns before joining her first local event at Harrow Chess Club in July 2021. Just one year later, at age seven, she swept the European Schools Championship by winning all 24 of her matches.
By 2023, she drew global attention at the European Rapid and Blitz championship in Croatia by becoming the youngest player to avoid defeat against a grandmaster in competitive play. The following year, at age nine, her selection for the English squad at the Budapest Chess Olympiad made her the youngest person to represent England internationally in any sport.
Pushing Toward the Fide International Master Norm
Her career momentum accelerated over the past year. At age 10, she became the youngest female player to defeat a grandmaster by overcoming Peter Wells at the British Chess Championships.
By July, Sivanandan earned her first Fide international master norm at the Dole Open in France at 11 years and four months old. During that tournament, she also defeated Grandmaster Marc’Andria Maurizzi, making her the youngest girl on record to defeat a player rated above 2600 in classical play.
