Grandmaster is the highest title a chess player can attain, and it is a lifelong rank. Many great players spend decades trying to achieve this status, and very few succeed. But Bodhana’s victory at such a young age shows that she has the potential to reach that level in the future.
Despite her young age, Bodhana already has her sights set on the highest honor in chess. “I hope to achieve my ultimate goal and become a grandmaster,” she said.
Bodhana Sivanandan, a 10-year-old girl from northwest London, has made chess history by becoming the youngest female player ever to defeat a grandmaster. Her remarkable achievement took place during the final round of the 2025 British Chess Championships held in Liverpool on Sunday.
At just 10 years, five months, and three days old, Bodhana defeated 60-year-old grandmaster Peter Wells, setting a new record in the chess world. The previous record was held by American Carissa Yip, who was 10 years, 11 months, and 20 days old when she beat a grandmaster in 2019, according to the International Chess Federation (FIDE).
This victory has earned Bodhana the title of Woman International Master (WIM), which is the second-highest title available exclusively to female players. It is one step below the Woman Grandmaster (WGM) title. The highest title in chess, however, is simply “Grandmaster” (GM),a title held for life and shared by some of the greatest names in the game, including current world chess champion Gukesh Dommaraju and world number one Magnus Carlsen.
Bodhana’s journey with chess started in an unexpected way during the Covid-19 pandemic when she was only five years old. Her father, Siva, explained to the BBC how it all began: a family friend was returning to India and gave them a few toys and books. Among them was a chessboard that immediately caught young Bodhana’s attention.
“I saw the chessboard and was interested in the pieces,” Bodhana recalled in an interview. “I wanted to use the pieces as toys. Instead, my dad said that I could play the game, and then I started from there.”
Neither Siva nor his wife had any background in chess. Both are engineering graduates, and according to Siva, “nobody at all” in their family had ever been skilled at chess. He even tried to trace whether any of their relatives had a history of playing chess, but there was none. “No one played for any chess events,” he said
This makes Bodhana’s achievement even more extraordinary, a natural talent discovered purely by chance during a global lockdown.
Despite starting only five years ago, Bodhana has made rapid progress in the chess world. In 2024, she was believed to have become the youngest person ever to represent England internationally in any sport when she was selected for the England Women’s Team at the Chess Olympiad in Hungary.
Her victory against grandmaster Peter Wells in the 2025 British Chess Championships not only made history but also confirmed her as one of the most promising young players in the world. FIDE highlighted her achievement on its official social media account on X (formerly Twitter), stating, “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).”
The title of Woman International Master she has now earned marks her as a top-level player on the international stage. It is a significant step toward her ultimate dream, becoming a grandmaster.
For Bodhana, chess is not just a competitive game; it is a passion that helps her in many areas of life. “Chess makes me feel good and helps me with lots of other things like maths, how to calculate,” she said during a recent interview.
She also shared how participating in chess events has been an exciting part of her journey. In July 2024, she visited Chess Fest in Trafalgar Square, central London, an event that brings chess enthusiasts of all ages together. It was one of many experiences that helped her grow both as a player and as a young individual.
Despite her young age, Bodhana already has her sights set on the highest honor in chess. “I hope to achieve my ultimate goal and become a grandmaster,” she said.
For her parents, Bodhana’s achievements have been both surprising and inspiring. Her father Siva expressed his pride and joy, saying, “Overall we are happy with whatever is happening. Hopefully she enjoys, plays well, and performs.”
Bodhana’s story has also brought pride to her local community in Harrow (UK) and to the wider chess community in England. Being so young and already competing, and winning, against top-level players shows that talent can emerge from the most unexpected places.
Grandmaster is the highest title a chess player can attain, and it is a lifelong rank. Many great players spend decades trying to achieve this status, and very few succeed. But Bodhana’s victory at such a young age shows that she has the potential to reach that level in the future.
Her journey also highlights how chess continues to evolve as a global sport. It is no longer dominated by players from a few countries; young talents from different parts of the world, like Bodhana from the UK and Gukesh Dommaraju from India, are redefining the future of the game.
As Bodhana continues her studies and chess training, she serves as an inspiration for other young people, proving that with passion, dedication, and opportunity, even the most challenging achievements are within reach.
Bodhana Sivanandan’s record-breaking win is not just a personal milestone but also a significant moment in British chess history. From discovering a chessboard in a bag of toys to defeating a grandmaster at just ten years old, her journey reminds us that sometimes, greatness begins in the most ordinary moments. With her talent and determination, the world will be watching to see what this young chess prodigy achieves next.
