11-Year-Old Girl Becomes Britain’s Youngest Women’s Chess Champion

Chess player Boudhana Sivanandan achieved an unprecedented feat after being crowned champion of the 2026 British Women’s Chess Championship, becoming the youngest player to win the title in the tournament’s century-long history at the age of 11. The Syrian News Agency (SANA), citing Sky News, reported that the championship concluded on August 9 at the University of Warwick in Coventry. Sivanandan secured the title by defeating her rival, Trisha Kanniamala, in a rapid playoff match. The English Chess Federation confirmed that she has become the youngest British women’s champion ever.

Sivanandan broke the previous record held by Eileen Pritchard, who won the title in 1939 at the age of 13. She also surpassed the achievement of Akshaya Kalaiyalahan, who shared the championship title in 2013 just days before her 12th birthday. The path to the title was not easy for the young player, as she competed against older and more experienced opponents, suffering only a single loss throughout the tournament.