The 11-year-old chess champion from Harrow, Bodhana Sivanandan, has broken yet another world record, this time becoming the youngest female player in history to qualify for the prestigious International Master (IM) title.

Bodhana eclipsed a record set 38 years ago by chess great Grandmaster Judit Polgar.

IM Malcolm Pein, Director of International Chess, English Chess Federation (ECF), said, “I can only describe Bodhana as a generational talent. There was no limit to what she can achieve. It’s remarkable that she is more than matching Judit Polgar’s achievements at a similar age and breaking her records, even if we live in different times. It’s worth noting that Bodhana is the seventh youngest player, boy or girl, to become an International Master. The ECF is grateful to her parents for supporting her on this journey, which is only just beginning, and to Rishi Sunak and Rachel Reeves, who supported governmental help via the DCMS for chess in England. We are looking forward to Bodhana’s next tournament, which will be the FIDE Swiss at the XTX market’s 16th London Chess Classic.”

By her feat, Bodhana sealed the historic achievement at the European Club Cup in Budva, Montenegro, where she was representing the English women’s team She Plays To Win Lionesses.

Bodhana was facing Sweden’s Woman International Master Viktoria Johansson at the contest, where she – aged just 11 years and seven months then – completed the task to secure her final norm and qualify for the title.

The International Master title, which is the second-highest title in chess (below Grandmaster), is particularly significant as it is open to players of both sexes.

Bodhana, who is supported by the ECF, is regarded as the greatest female chess player of all time.

Bodhana became the youngest player ever to qualify for the Woman Grandmaster (WGM) title after representing England at the Chess Olympiad in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, last month.

She made her debut at the Chess Olympiad in Budapest in 2024, when she was just nine years old, becoming the youngest player ever selected to represent England internationally in any sport. – editor@nrifocus.com