Meet the girl who’s become the youngest Woman’s Grandmaster in chess

ALLAN JACOB (ABU DHABI)

This chess prodigy is all of 11 years old, but she’s made history by becoming the youngest Woman Grandmaster (WGM) in chess by earning her third and final norm to join the elite ranks of 44 women's grand masters globally.

Bodhana Sivanandan claimed the WGM title playing for England at the 46th Chess Olympiad in Samarkand, Uzbekistan.

The youngster already had a 2300 rating before gaining her final norm, the International Chess Federation (FIDE) said.

The schoolgirl is also Britain's youngest women's chess champion and the youngest person to represent her country in any sport.

In Samarkand, she played all 11 rounds on the top board – meant for the team's leading player – and garnered eight points in the tournament.

Bodhana likes travelling and attends school full time when she’s not matching wits on the squares.

“I am happy to do it, but I want to keep going and making history,” she said of her achievement.

The little genius has no trainer and taught herself to play the game during the Covid lockdown six years ago.