10-year-old chess player becomes youngest female to beat grandmaster

Sean Noone

5 months ago

LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - AUGUST 07: Bodhana Sivanandan, a nine-year-old chess prodigy, competes in the British Chess Championships at St. George's Hall on August 07, 2025 in Liverpool, England. The 111th British Chess Championships are taking place in Liverpool between 31 July to 10 August, with competitors vying for the title in the women's, men's, juniors' and over-60 groups. Organized by the English Chess Federation, the competition has been run annually - apart from war years - since 1904. (Photo by Christopher Furlong/Getty Images)

(NewsNation) — A 10-year-old British girl has become the youngest female player to ever defeat a grandmaster.

Bodhana Sivanandan of London beat grandmaster Pete Wells, 60, at the 2025 British Chess Championships in Liverpool on Sunday.

Bodhana picked up 24 rating points with her performance and finished tied for 26th.

Her victory broke the record that was previously held by Grand Master Zhansaya Abdumalik, who won her title in 2011 at the age of 11 years and five months.

The BBC reports Bodhana first took up chess during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Her father told the BBC in 2024 that “nobody” in their family had previously excelled at the game.