Today's Edition
Allan JACOB (ABU DHABI)
An 11-year-old chess prodigy has become the world’s youngest International Master (IM) by breaking a 38-year-old record set in 1988. Bodhana Sivanandan from the UK broke the long-standing record held by Hungarian Judith Polgar who is considered the greatest of all time (GOAT) in women’s chess.
The India-origin child chess genius achieved the feat when she bagged her third IM norm which helped her get past the 2400 ratings threshold. She was playing at European Club Cup in Budva, Montenegro on the weekend, and defeated Sweden’s Woman International Master Viktoria Johansson to finish with 5.5 points from seven games in her final match.
The young player has now set her sights on the International Grandmaster (IGM) norm, the highest in chess. “I’am happy about that (the final IM norm) but I hope to get the IGM norm,” she said after her match.
When asked about the secret of her winning streak, she said: “I have no secret. I just play the best moves.”
Polgar, the previous youngest IM record holder, was 12 when she achieved the feat, and later went on to become world no 8.
Last month, Bodhana made history by becoming the youngest player to qualify for the Woman Grandmaster (WGM) title England at the Chess Olympiad in Samarkand, Uzbekistan. She also gained her second IM norm at the tournament.
