- Written by Samantha Jagger
- BBC news
image source, Simon Walker/10 Downing Street
Bodhana Sivanandan started playing the game at age 5 during the pandemic
An 8-year-old girl has been named the best female player at the European Chess Championship.
Vodana Sivanandan, from Harrow, north-west London, scored 8.5/13 in the Croatian competition to finish first ahead of more experienced pros.
She defeated international masters and tied with grandmasters, and the result was described as “unbelievable.”
The girl, who has been a chess prodigy since the age of five, said she was “proud” of her performance over the weekend.
This tournament was held at Blitz Time Control. Blitz time control is a quick form of chess where players only have a few minutes to make their moves.
“Essentially, there are three types of timing in the game of chess: standard, rapid play and blitz,” said Stephen Woodhouse, chairman of the British Chess Federation (ECF).
“Blitz games are usually between three and five minutes long, so it’s very fast,” he explained.
Bodana’s opponents included Grandmaster, the highest title given to the world’s strongest players, International Masters and Experts.
“I was so proud of myself when I became top girl at the European Blitz.”
When asked if she was nervous, she said, “No, I’m just playing the board.”
The chess world immediately praised her performance.
Romanian international master Irina Brumaga was one of the athletes who finished before Bodana. I wrote to X It was an “unbelievable result”, adding: “What a phenomenon she is.”
Dominic Lawson, president of the British Chess Federation, said the result was “an extraordinary result for an eight-year-old and one never seen before in this country.”
“She has a very mature playing style, strategic and patient. She has what I would describe as a long game,” he added.
British International Master and commentator Lawrence Trent described Bodana as “one of the greatest talents I have witnessed in recent times”.
“The maturity of her game, her sublime touch, it’s truly breathtaking.” he wrote to x.
“There is no doubt that she will be England’s greatest player and probably one of the greatest that this game has ever seen,” Trent added.
Other chess geniuses
- Born in 1976, Judith Polgar became a grandmaster at the age of 15. She retired from competitive chess in her 2014. She was the youngest of her three sisters who were international chess players.
- Born in 1990, Magnus Carlsen became world champion at the age of 23. He began coaching at the age of five and became a grandmaster at the age of thirteen.
- Born in 1994, Hou Yifan became the youngest female grandmaster in history at the age of 14.
Source: British Chess Federation
Siva Sivanandan said her daughter is “trying her best and that is working in her favor.”
“She likes chess and she likes traveling. We keep trying and keep moving forward,” he added.
Bodana will next compete in the International Chess Conference in Hastings, one of the world’s longest running tournaments, on December 28th.
Ms Bodana met Rishi Sunak earlier this year when the Prime Minister hosted a young chess champion in Downing Street.
