Harrow Girl Who Found a Chess Set in Lockdown Becomes Youngest Woman Grandmaster at 11

An 11-year-old girl from Harrow who picked up chess from YouTube videos during lockdown has become the youngest Woman Grandmaster in history.

Bodhana Sivanandan, from north-west London, secured her third and final WGM norm while playing on board one for England, scoring eight points from 11 rounds and surpassing the previous record set by Kateryna Lagno, who was 12. Her performance in Samarkand also earned her a second International Master norm.

Bodhana began playing chess during the Covid-19 pandemic, when she found a chess set at her family home and taught herself the game using online videos. The set had been left at the family home by a friend of her father, Siva Velayutham, who was moving to India.

Learned Chess From YouTube During Lockdown

Bodhana became interested in the pieces, particularly the knight and queen, and used YouTube tutorials to learn the rules. Neither of her parents plays chess proficiently. Her father told the BBC he did not know where her ability came from. Bodhana soon began beating him.

She entered her first tournament at Harrow Chess Club in July 2021. In 2022, aged seven, she won all 24 games at the European Schools Championship. In 2023, Bodhana became the youngest player to avoid defeat against a Grandmaster in a competitive game.

At nine, she made her international debut for England at the Chess Olympiad in Budapest, playing on board four as a reserve. She has been reported as the youngest person to represent England in any sport.

Aged 10, she became the youngest female player to beat a Grandmaster in a classical game and the youngest winner of the British Women's Championship. Her wins include games against Peter Wells, Marc'Andria Maurizzi, Ameet Ghasi and former world champion Mariya Muzychuk.

Bodhana was promoted to board one for England at the Samarkand Olympiad. She said she did not feel pressure about taking the position and described the experience as similar to the previous Olympiad, apart from the change in board number. Her eight points from 11 rounds helped secure the final WGM norm she needed.

Still a Full-Time School Pupil

Bodhana attends school full-time and catches up on missed coursework after travelling to tournaments overseas. She said she is comfortable balancing school and chess for now.

She also said chess helps with mathematics and calculation. She plays piano and violin outside the game. Her international competition schedule is supported by several organisations.

She receives funding through the Department for Culture, Media and Sport's elite chess programme, distributed through the English Chess Federation. She is also supported by the Chess Trust Accelerator Programme and the John Robinson Youth Chess Trust. Private backers include biotech firm e-therapeutics and investor Evren Üçok.

Bodhana uses a booster seat during games so she can reach the chessboard comfortably. She said she will continue using it for as long as she needs it. Her opponents include experienced International Masters and Grandmasters, despite her being only 11.

Open IM Title on the Horizon

The WGM title is a female-only FIDE title with a lower rating requirement than the open International Master and Grandmaster titles. The women's titles have prompted debate among chess fans online. Some argue they encourage female participation in a sport where women are underrepresented. Others question the need for separate titles.

Bodhana is also progressing towards an open title. She has secured two International Master norms and passed a 2300 rating. The open International Master title requires three norms and a 2400 rating. Bodhana said she wants to continue entering tournaments, take opportunities when they arise and play her best.