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Bodhana Sivanandan, a 10-year-old chess prodigy from London, made headlines over the summer after becoming the youngest 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 world champion and grandmaster Mariya Muzychuk in the first round of the European Club Chess Cup, held in Greece on Sunday.
Bodhana Sivanandan, 9, competes in the second round of the Terafinal of the Delancey UK Chess Challenge in Woodstock, Britain, on October 12, 2024. (REUTERS/Suzanne Plunkett)
Experts called the surprising victory a “near perfect game,” The Times reported.
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Grandmaster David Howell took to social media to praise Sivanandan for his “incredible victory.”
“It’s not every day a 10-year-old defeats a [grandmaster] (and former world champion) with that style,” said his post on X.
Sivanandan seemed quite satisfied 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 Championship at St. George’s Hall on August 7, 2025, in Liverpool, England. (Christopher Furlong/Getty Images)
THE 10-YEAR-OLD CHESS PRODIGY MAKES HISTORY AFTER DEFEATING THE 60-YEAR-OLD GRANDMASTER
“I’m happy to win, but I hope to do even better in future games… This will inspire me to keep doing better and try harder to win more games,” he said.
Sivanandan made history this summer when he defeated grandmaster Peter Wells, 60, in the final round of the 2025 British Chess Championship in August. According to the International Chess Federation, Sivanandan set the record previously held by American Carissa Yip, who set the record in 2019 at 10 years, 11 months and 20 days.
Bodhana Sivanandan, center, a 10-year-old chess prodigy, competes in the British Chess Championship at St. George’s Hall on August 7, 2025, in Liverpool, England. (Christopher Furlong/Getty Images)
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Sivanandan was 10 years, five months and three days old when he defeated Wells.
He has made a name for himself since he first started playing during the COVID-19 pandemic, when he was just 5 years old.
