Bodhana Sivanandan, 11, Wins All 17 Games In Remarkable Blitz Run

At World Chess, we love writing about WIM and soon-to-be-confirmed WGM Bodhana Sivanandan. Why? Because she makes the extraordinary look routine.

Just days after returning from the 2026 Chess Olympiad in Samarkand as the youngest-ever to qualify for the Woman Grandmaster title, the 11-year-old England star has delivered another remarkable performance—winning all 17 games at a UK Open Blitz Championships qualifier.

The Harrow schoolgirl travelled to Belfast for the event and swept aside the entire field, finishing with a perfect 17/17 to book her place in the national finals.

Her nearest rival, Ben McIlroy, finished on 12.5 points, an extraordinary four-and-a-half points behind.

And this was no girls' or junior competition. Bodhana was competing in an Open qualifier against players of different ages and nationalities.

The result underlined the remarkable momentum behind one of chess's most talked-about young talents.

At September's Olympiad in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, Bodhana made history by becoming the youngest player ever to earn the Woman Grandmaster title, aged just 11.

Representing England's women's team on top board, she also earned a second International Master norm, adding another landmark to a career that has already attracted worldwide attention.

Now she is turning her attention to another title.

Bodhana is the defending UK Women's Blitz Champion, having won the championship in 2025, and will be among the favourites when the country's leading speed chess players gather for the 2026 finals.

The UK Open Blitz Championships feature qualifiers across 16 venues, with the winner of each Open qualifier advancing to the final. The overall prize fund exceeds £10,000.

For Bodhana, however, the latest achievement is another reminder of just how quickly her career is developing.

Seventeen games. Seventeen wins. And another national championship to chase. Go Bodhana!