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

(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.