Sports
Bodhana Sivanandan Breaks 38-Year-Old Record, To Become Youngest IM At Age Of 11
By: News18 Sports
Published: 24 October 2026
Photo / Illustration: Haldwani Times News Desk
<p>Indian-origin English chess player Bodhana Sivanandan has become the youngest female International Master (IM) at the age of 11, breaking a 38-year-old record set by Judit Polgar.</p>
<p>Sivanandan, who hails from Harrow in north London, needed only a few rating points to qualify for the open IM title and break Polgar’s record, while also securing a place among the 10 youngest IMs of all time.</p>
<p>“Congratulations to 11-year-old Bodhana Sivanandan on becoming an International Master with a final-round win at the European Women’s Chess Club Cup 2026!" the European Chess Union wrote on X.</p>
<p>— European Chess Union (@ECUonline) October 23, 2026</p>
<p>“Bodhana delivered a fantastic performance, scoring 5.5/7 on Board 1 for She Plays to Win Lionesses, making her the youngest female player in history to earn the IM title," it added.</p>
<p>At this week’s European Women’s Chess Club Cup, Sivanandan came close to drawing her opening-round match against Russian Grandmaster Aleksandra Goryachkina before defeating Belarusian International Master Olga Badelka in the third round to take her rating to 2399.4.</p>
<p>She then drew against Georgian Grandmaster Nino Batsiashvili in the following round.</p>
<p>However, her 32-move victory over Sweden’s Woman International Master Viktoria Johansson helped her achieve the distinction and join the list of the 10 youngest IMs of all time.</p>
<p>The list includes India’s R Praggnanandhaa and D Gukesh, Uzbekistan’s Nodirbek Abdusattorov, Argentina’s Faustino Oro, Turkey’s Yagiz Kaan Erdogmus and Russia’s Roman Shogdzhiev.</p>
<p>Bodhana Sivanandan became the youngest female International Master in history at age 11, breaking a 38-year-old record previously set by Judit Polgar.</p>
<p>She secured the title with a final-round win and an overall performance of 5.5/7 playing on Board 1 for She Plays to Win Lionesses at the European Women’s Chess Club Cup 2026.</p>
<p>The 38-year-old record for the youngest female International Master was originally set by Judit Polgar.</p>
