Bodhana Sivanandan has become the youngest female player in chess history to earn the Woman Grandmaster title, securing the necessary performance milestone at the 46th Chess Olympiad in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, according to the International Chess Federation (FIDE). The 11-year-old player from northwest London completed her third and final WGM norm while representing England on the top board during the international tournament, finishing with eight points across 11 rounds.
Title Milestone Achieved in Samarkand
Sivanandan crossed the required 2,300 rating threshold prior to the tournament and finalized her title requirements at the Uzbekistan event. Previously, Kateryna Lagno held the age record for securing the WGM title at 12 years old, alongside China’s Hou Yifan, who also earned the designation at 12 before later becoming the youngest woman to claim the overall Grandmaster title at age 14. The Woman Grandmaster designation is the highest female-specific title awarded by FIDE and remains valid for life. In addition to her WGM norms, Sivanandan’s performance in Samarkand earned her a second International Master norm, pushing her closer to the open IM title which requires three norms and a rating of at least 2,400.
Rapid Ascent Through National and International Ranks
Born in Harrow, Sivanandan taught herself to play chess during the Covid-19 pandemic lockdowns. She played her first tournament at the Harrow Chess Club in July 2021 before sweeping all 24 games at the European School Chess Championship a year later at age seven. In 2023, she became the youngest player to avoid defeat against a grandmaster in a competitive match during the European Rapid and Blitz Chess Championship in Croatia. Her selection for the English national team at the 2024 Chess Olympiad in Budapest made her the youngest person ever to represent England at the international level in any sport, according to the English Chess Federation. At age 10, she defeated Grandmaster Peter Wells at the British Chess Championship, and subsequently secured her first IM norm at the Dole Open in France at 11 years and four months old, where she also defeated Grandmaster Marc’Andria Maurizzi in a classical match.
Sivanandan Pursues Final Norm for International Master Title
Balancing international tournaments with full-time schooling in London, Sivanandan notes that her analytical training in chess intersects with several of her academic subjects. Her father, Siva, stated that neither parent has a competitive chess background, noting that both hold engineering degrees. With two International Master norms now secured, Sivanandan’s next competitive steps involve pursuing the final qualification norm needed to claim the IM title, which is open to players of all genders and sits above the WGM and Woman International Master titles she currently holds.
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