Chess: Bodhana Sivanandan, 11, breaks world age record from 38 years ago
11-year-old chess prodigy Bodhana Sivanandan has set a new world record by becoming the youngest girl to defeat a grandmaster rated over 2600. She achieved this feat by defeating French grandmaster Marc’Andria Maurizzi at the Dole Trophy.
Why it matters
This achievement highlights the rapid rise of young talent in competitive chess and marks a significant milestone in the sport's history.
Bodhana Sivanandan has two previous wins against GMs but neither of them was as prominent as her latest victim, Marc’Andria Maurizzi. Photograph: Rafal Oleksiewicz/Fide Bodhana Sivanandan has two previous wins against GMs but neither of them was as prominent as her latest victim, Marc’Andria Maurizzi. Photograph: Rafal Oleksiewicz/Fide Leonard Barden on chess Chess Chess: Bodhana Sivanandan, 11, breaks world age record from 38 years ago Harrow schoolgirl eclipses legend Judit Polgar’s mark as youngest girl ever to defeat a grandmaster rated above 2600, then draws with a former 2700
Prefer the Guardian on Google England’s 11-year-old talent Bodhana Sivanandan scored her best individual result last Saturday, when the Harrow schoolgirl defeated France’s 2628-rated grandmaster Marc’Andria Maurizzi, 19, in the opening round of the Dole Trophy in Aix-en-Provence. Maurizzi was world under-20 junior champion in 2023 and is the current French champion.
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