10-Year-Old Chess Prodigy Defeats World Champion Mariya Muzychuk

A 10-year-old chess prodigy from Britain has achieved a stunning victory over world champion Mariya Muzychuk, moving a step closer to becoming the youngest grandmaster in history.

Bodhana Sivanandan, a rising star from Harrow, northwest London, defeated Muzychuk in what experts described as an “almost flawless” match. The win took place on October 19, 2025, during the European Chess Club Cup in Rhodes, Greece.

Sivanandan first learned chess during the COVID-19 lockdown after receiving an old chessboard as a gift from a family member. She went on to become the youngest female ever to defeat a grandmaster, famously playing from a booster seat to reach the board, The Times reported.

In 2024, she also made history as the youngest athlete to represent England in any sport on the international stage.

The title of grandmaster represents the highest level of achievement in professional chess.

Muzychuk, 33, from Ukraine, has twice claimed her national championship title and became the women’s world chess champion in 2015.

David Howell, England’s top grandmaster and chess columnist for The Times, described Sivanandan’s performance as “an extraordinary triumph,” noting, “It’s rare to see a ten-year-old defeat a grandmaster and former world champion with such skill.”

Speaking to The Times, Sivanandan expressed her excitement: “I’m happy I won, but I hope to do even better in upcoming matches. This motivates me to work harder and aim for more victories.” She added that the pressure of major tournaments does not disrupt her focus: “I don’t really mind where I play; I just concentrate on my game.”

This achievement follows another historic win in August, when the International Chess Federation announced that Sivanandan had become the youngest female player ever to beat a grandmaster.

Her victory at 10 years, five months, and three days broke the previous record set by American Carissa Yip in 2019, who accomplished the feat at 10 years, 11 months, and 20 days.

Currently, the record for the youngest grandmaster belongs to American Abhimanyu Mishra, who earned the title at 12 years, four months, and 25 days in 2021.