The Queen’s Move: How 10-Year-Old Bodhana Sivanandan From Harrow Conquered the Chess World

On a Sunday afternoon in Liverpool, England, chess history was made not with a dramatic flourish, but with the quiet precision that has become Bodhana Sivanandan’s trademark. The 10-year-old from Harrow calmly moved her pieces across the board in the final round of the 2025 British Chess Championships, and when the dust settled, she had accomplished something no female player her age had ever done before.

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), according to the International Chess Federation (FIDE). Her opponent wasn’t just any player—60-year-old Grandmaster Peter Wells, a seasoned veteran of the game who has spent decades mastering the 64 squares that Bodhana has come to call home.

A Pandemic Prodigy

Bodhana first picked up the game during the COVID-19 lockdowns, transforming what began as a pandemic hobby into world-class excellence. What started as a way to pass time during Britain’s lockdowns in 2020 quickly revealed itself to be something extraordinary. Bodhana Sivanandan, a fourth-grader, has become one of England’s best players just a few years after discovering chess during pandemic lockdown, according to The Seattle Times.

The progression from curious 5-year-old to record-breaking champion reads like something from a chess fairy tale, but the reality is built on dedication, natural talent, and an almost preternatural composure at the board. In December 2023, she pulled off silver medals in both the rapid and blitz European under-8 girls championships, establishing herself as a force to be reckoned with on the international stage.

More Than Just a Record

Bodhana’s historic victory represents more than just a new entry in the record books. 10-year-old prodigy WFM Bodhana Sivanandan stunned the nation in the 2025 British Chess Championship, becoming the youngest woman to beat a grandmaster and the youngest-ever to earn the WIM title, according to Chess.com. The WIM (Woman International Master) title places her among chess’s elite female players, a remarkable achievement for someone who could still be learning multiplication tables.

While Bodhana hasn’t yet earned the grandmaster title—chess’s highest distinction—her trajectory suggests it may only be a matter of time.

Malcolm Pein, an international chess master whose charity organization helps provide students with access to chess, sees something special in the young prodigy. Speaking to BBC News, Pein praised her unique combination of skill and demeanor: “She’s so composed, she’s so modest and yet she’s so absolutely brilliant at chess. She could easily become the women’s world champion, or maybe the overall world champion. And certainly I believe that she’s on course to become a grandmaster.”

Breaking Barriers

Chess has long been dominated by male players at the highest levels, making Bodhana’s achievements all the more significant. Her success comes at a time when the chess world is witnessing a new generation of young prodigies challenging established norms. Just months before her historic victory, an 8-year-old chess prodigy became the youngest all-around player to beat a grandmaster. The boy, Aswath Kaushik, won his match against 37-year-old Jacek Stopa at a chess tournament in Switzerland, according to CBS News coverage.

While Bodhana hasn’t yet earned the grandmaster title—chess’s highest distinction—her trajectory suggests it may only be a matter of time. The sport’s governing body requires players to reach specific rating milestones and achieve “grandmaster norms” in tournament play, a process that typically takes years of dedicated competition at the highest levels.

WFM Bodhana Sivanandan continued her rise in the chess world on Sunday by becoming the youngest player ever to achieve a Woman Grandmaster (WGM) norm, at just 10 years old, according to recent Chess.com reporting, showing that her historic victory over Wells was part of a broader pattern of achievement.

A Quiet Champion

Perhaps what’s most remarkable about Bodhana Sivanandan isn’t just her chess prowess, but her approach to success. In a world where young athletes are often thrust into the spotlight and pressured to perform, she maintains the kind of composure that veteran players spend decades trying to develop. Her story serves as inspiration not just for young chess players, but for anyone who believes that passion combined with dedication can overcome seemingly insurmountable odds.

As she continues her chess journey, Bodhana carries with her the hopes of a new generation of players who see in her success proof that the ancient game of chess remains as dynamic and full of possibilities as ever. From a pandemic hobby to historic achievement, her story reminds us that sometimes the most extraordinary journeys begin with the simplest of moves—a young girl, a chess set, and endless possibility stretching out across 64 squares.

(Top image, courtesy of Yuri Krylov- English Chess Federation)