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Bodhana Sivanandan, a 10-year-old chess prodigy from London, made headlines over the summer after she became the youngest female chess player to defeat a grandmaster. This week, Sivanandan reached another important milestone in his young career.
The young talent known as the “girl wonder” defeated former women’s world champion and grandmaster Mariya Muzychuk in the first round of the European Chess Club Cup held in Greece on Sunday.
Bodhana Sivanandan, 9, competes in the second round of the Delancey UK Chess Challenge Terafinal in Woodstock, Britain, October 12, 2024. (REUTERS/Suzanne Plunkett)
Pundits called the stunning win a “near-perfect game,” The Times reported.
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Grandmaster David Howell took to social media to praise Sivanandan for her “incredible win.”
“It’s not every day a 10-year-old beats one [grandmaster] (and former world champion) like that,” read his post on X.
Sivanandan seemed quite pleased with her victory, but told The Times that she is looking for more victories.
Bodhana Sivanandan, a 10-year-old chess prodigy, competes in the British Chess Championships in St. George’s Hall on 7th August 2025 in Liverpool, England. (Christopher Furlong/Getty Images)
CHESS PRODIGY, 10, MAKES HISTORY AFTER CONQUERING 60-YEAR-OLD GRAND CHAMP
“I’m happy to win, but hopefully I’ll do even better in the future matches… This will inspire me to keep doing better and try harder to win more matches,” she said.
Sivanandan made history this summer when she defeated Grandmaster Peter Wells, 60, in the final round of the 2025 British Chess Championships in August. According to the International Chess Federation, Sivanandan broke the record previously held by American Carissa Yip, who set the record in 2019 at 10 years, 11 months and 20 days old.
Bodhana Sivanandan, center, a 10-year-old chess prodigy, competes in the British Chess Championships in St. George’s Hall on 7th August 2025 in Liverpool, England. (Christopher Furlong/Getty Images)
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Sivanandan was 10 years, five months and three days old when she defeated Wells.
She has made a name for herself since she first took up the game during the COVID-19 pandemic when she was just 5 years old.
