British chess prodigy of Indian origin, Bodhana Sivanandan, has created history by becoming one of the youngest players ever to defeat a former world champion. The 10-year-old achieved the stunning feat at the European Club Cup in Rhodes, Greece, where she beat Ukraine’s former Women’s World Champion, Grandmaster Mariya Muzychuk.
Born in London in 2015 to parents from Tiruchirappalli, Tamil Nadu, Bodhana has been a rising star in the chess world. In July 2025, she became the youngest player to earn a Woman Grandmaster (WGM) norm at just 10 years old — surpassing the previous record set by Hou Yifan, who achieved the milestone at 11.
Her latest triumph came against Muzychuk, who is ranked 13th in the world and rated 280 FIDE points higher than Bodhana. Despite the rating gap, the young prodigy showcased extraordinary composure and tactical brilliance to secure victory.
English Grandmaster Danny Gormally praised her performance, saying, “She seems to be beating a GM every week now!” England’s No.1 Grandmaster David Howell called it an “incredible win,” noting, “It’s not every day a 10-year-old defeats a former world champion in such style.” Former Women’s World Champion Susan Polgar also described Bodhana’s play as “impressive.”
Representing the She Plays to Win Lionesses, the 12th-seeded team in the European Club Cup, Bodhana’s victory stood out even though her team lost 3–1 in the opening round to Turkish Airlines.
Her rise in chess has been nothing short of phenomenal. Earlier in 2025, Bodhana became the youngest female chess player ever to beat a Grandmaster, defeating Peter Wells at the British Chess Championships in Liverpool. That victory earned her the final norm for the Woman International Master (WIM) title, achieved at just 10 years, five months, and three days old — breaking American Carissa Yip’s record.
Bodhana first came into the spotlight in 2024 when she became the youngest person ever to represent England internationally in any sport, selected for the England Women’s Team at the Chess Olympiad in Hungary.
Commenting on the resurgence of English chess, GM Gormally said, “English chess has been in the doldrums for years. But now we have a new generation — Shreyas Royal, Bodhana Sivanandan, Supratit Banerjee, Ethan Pang — players who are truly exciting. We don’t yet know how strong they’ll become, but the future looks bright.”
With her calm demeanor and consistent brilliance, Bodhana Sivanandan continues to redefine what’s possible for young players, emerging as one of the brightest talents in world chess.
