LONDON: Ten-year-old British chess prodigy dazzles at women’s event

LONDON: A British child chess prodigy has swept the board at a national competition, earning her a place among the top 50 women in the world for the blitz category of speed chess.

Ten-year-old Bodhana Sivanandan won eight games in a row at the UK Women’s Blitz Championship in Royal Leamington Spa at the weekend – triumphing over much older and more experienced players.

“I don’t mind who I compete against, I only care about the game,” Bodhana said following her latest win.

Malcolm Pein, from the English Chess Federation, described Bodhana as a “generational talent with no equivalent in any other sport”.

“It’s hard to say what is more remarkable – the fact that a 10-year-old is a top seed in a British chess championship, or that she strolls to victory by a huge margin, leaving three other England internationals in her wake,” he added.

Bodhana, from Harrow in north-west London, said she was “really happy” about her victory.

“Chess helps me with so many other things, at school it helps with maths, art and music.”

Her father, Siva, said his daughter was very determined, and he and his wife were proud of her: “She is doing her best, and we are supporting her.”

It is the latest success in Bodhana’s phenomenal career. In August, she became the youngest person to earn the Woman International Master title – the second-highest ranking in women’s chess, below grandmaster.  

Bodhana became the youngest person to earn the Woman International Master title earlier this year

Last year, she made history as the youngest person ever to represent England internationally in any sport, at the age of just nine.

Bodhana says she wants to become the youngest grandmaster in history. The current recordholder is American chess player Abhimanyu Mishra, who claimed the title at the age of just 12.

Blitz is a type of speed chess in which each game lasts no more than ten minutes.