London, Aug. 19 (SANA) British chess prodigy Bodhana Sivanandan has become the youngest winner of the British Women’s Chess Championship, claiming the 2026 title at the age of 11.
Sivanandan secured the championship after defeating Trisha Kanyamarala in a rapid playoff at the University of Warwick in Coventry, where the tournament concluded on Aug. 9, Sky News reported.
The English Chess Federation said Sivanandan was the youngest British women’s champion in the competition’s more than century-long history.
She broke a record held by Elaine Pritchard, who won the title in 1939 at the age of 13, and surpassed Akshaya Kalaiyalahan, who shared the championship in 2013 shortly before turning 12.
Sivanandan lost only once during the tournament despite competing against older and more experienced players.
She began playing chess at five during the COVID-19 lockdown after finding a chess set at her family home and learning the basic rules from her father.
Her rapid rise has since brought a series of milestones. In April, Sivanandan became England’s highest-rated female player and reached No. 72 in the women’s world rankings, according to the English Chess Federation.
In 2025, she became the youngest player to earn the Woman International Master title, according to Guinness World Records.
The latest victory further establishes Sivanandan as one of British chess’s leading young talents.
T.S /ABD
