Indian-Origin Chess Prodigy Creates History in UK
A ten-year-old schoolgirl of Indian origin, Bodhana Sivanandan, has taken the chess world by storm by clinching the women's first prize at the prestigious UK Open Blitz Championships held in Leamington Spa. The young talent from Harrow Primary School demonstrated exceptional skill to secure the £500 prize, adding another remarkable achievement to her growing list of age-related records in the chess arena.
Impressive Performance Against Top Competition
Sivanandan delivered an outstanding performance, scoring 13.5 points out of a possible 15 in the intense competition. The tournament saw a dramatic moment when she nearly faced a serious challenge from defending champion Elmira Mirzoeva during the second-to-last round. However, Mirzoeva's campaign stumbled when she made a crucial pawn error in what appeared to be a winning rook endgame, ultimately handing the advantage to the young prodigy.
In the Open Blitz category, Daniel Gormally, a 49-year-old grandmaster from Alnwick, claimed the championship title and the £1,000 prize with a score of 11.5/15 points. He narrowly defeated 16-year-old Stanley Badacsonyi from north London by just half a point. The competition remained tight with GM Gawain Maroroa Jones and Frederick Waldhausen Gordon finishing close behind the leaders.
A Growing List of Historic Achievements
This latest victory adds to Sivanandan's already impressive chess resume. Just last month, the young achiever recorded a major accomplishment by defeating former World Champion Grandmaster Mariya Muzychuk at the European Club Cup in Greece. Representing the 12th-seeded team She Plays to Win Lionesses, she demonstrated that her skills can compete at the highest international levels.
Earlier this year, Sivanandan created history by becoming the youngest female chess player to defeat a grandmaster. She achieved this milestone by beating 60-year-old Grandmaster Peter Wells at the 2025 British Chess Championships in Liverpool. Her victory at the age of 10 years, five months and three days surpassed the previous record held by American Carissa Yip since 2019. This achievement also made her the youngest player ever to secure a WGM norm.
The Harrow schoolgirl, who began her chess journey during the COVID-19 lockdown, had already made history in 2024 as the youngest person to represent England internationally in any sport when she competed at the Chess Olympiad in Hungary.
Roots and Future Prospects
Born in London in 2015 to parents hailing from Tiruchirappalli, Tamil Nadu, Sivanandan represents the new generation of English chess talent making significant marks in international competitions. Her rapid rise in the chess world, coupled with her consistent performance against experienced players, indicates a promising future for Indian-origin representation in global chess.
Meanwhile, Stanley Badacsonyi, despite lacking IM norms, has shown himself to be a dedicated and creative player with considerable potential for future success in the chess circuit. The tournament results highlight the emergence of young talents who are reshaping the competitive landscape of chess in the United Kingdom and beyond.
