Ten-year-old prodigy WFM Bodhana Sivanandan stunned the nation in the 2025 British Chess Championship in Liverpool on Sunday, becoming the youngest woman ever to beat a grandmaster and the youngest-ever to earn the Woman International Master title. Meanwhile, 53-year-old GM Michael Adams sealed his ninth national title after winning a dramatic three-way playoff.
Bodhana Defeats Grandmaster, Becomes Youngest-Ever WIM
We’ll start with the Bodhana, who once again stole the spotlight, just two weeks after she last made waves with her 2400 performance in France to score a historic first WGM norm.
In the British Chess Championship, the 10-year-old prodigy secured her third and final WIM norm with her 5/9 score. Bodhana picked up 24 rating points with her performance and finished tied for 26th, yet-another incredible achievement by the rising star.
More importantly, the performance was enough to secure her third and final norm for the WIM title, making her the youngest-ever to do so, at the age of 10 years, five months and three days. That record was previously held by GM Zhansaya Abdumalik, who achieved her WIM title in 2011 at the age of 11 years and five months.
It wasn’t the only record the young star broke. The title was sealed when she miraculously defeated the experienced GM Peter Wells in what was a roller coaster of a game. “How on earth did she win this? She must be some kind of magician,” GM Danny Gormally said as the commentator for the English Chess Federation broadcast.