British chess sensation WFM Bodhana Sivanandan continues to make chess historical past. Now the nine-year-old prodigy is about to grow to be the youngest participant ever to symbolize England in a world sporting competitors.
Sivanandan is considered one of 5 gamers chosen for England’s girls’s workforce within the 2024 Chess Olympiad, that takes place in Budapest, Hungary from September 11-22. She’s going to play alongside veterans IM Jovanka Houska, IM Harriet Hunt, and WGM Katarzyna Toma, all of their 30s and 40s, whereas WGM Yao Lan is 23.
“I’m so happy to be picked for England. It’s an excellent honor and I’m wanting ahead to being a part of a workforce,” Sivanandan mentioned.
Teammate Houska commented, “I’ve had plenty of gamers say to me they’re frightened of taking part in her!”
Jovanka Houska on Bodhana Sivanandan taking part in for England on the Olympiad: “I can inform you one factor—I’ve had plenty of gamers say to me they’re frightened of taking part in her. A 9-year-old that is near 2200 — that is scary!” #GrandChessTour pic.twitter.com/54fW3nHDkl
— chess24 (@chess24com) July 3, 2024
In line with the Guardian, she is probably going the youngest to ever symbolize England in any worldwide sporting competitors. England selector and chief govt of Chess In Faculties & Communities IM Malcolm Pein referred to as her inclusion completely justified.
“Bodhana’s success at European stage contains victories over many established gamers, and her fearless type of play and immense give attention to the board has already precipitated a sensation within the chess world,” he advised the Guardian.
Her fearless type of play and immense give attention to the board has already precipitated a sensation within the chess world.
—Malcolm Pein
Sivanandan can be a part of a robust England workforce, whose open representatives—GMs Nikita Vitiugov, David Howell, Michael Adams, Gawain Jones, and Luke McShane, are the nation’s top-five on the score record and potential medal contenders.
Whereas Sivanandan is about to grow to be one of many youngest individuals within the 2024 Chess Olympiad, she will not be the youngest ever. In 2022, eight-year-old Randa Sedar performed for Palestine. Different children have additionally performed for smaller nations.
The youngest participant of the 2022 #ChessOlympiad, Randa Sedar, is simply eight years outdated and is from Hebron, Palestine.
Her father began instructing her chess when she was 5, and it quickly grew to become her life! pic.twitter.com/jh3AYUNfiY
— Worldwide Chess Federation (@FIDE_chess) July 28, 2022
Sivanandan has surprised the chess world and gained consideration all around the world together with her record-breaking performances. Final 12 months she grew to become England’s first World Youth Chess Champion in 25 years, profitable a historic triple gold medal by scoring an unbelievable 33/33. She adopted up by sensationally profitable the lady’s prize within the European Girl’s Blitz Championship, beating an IM and drawing a GM alongside the way in which.
Her rise continued this 12 months, leaping 327 score factors to 2185 and positioning herself because the world’s second highest-rated participant underneath 9, solely rivaled by compatriot Ethan Pang. She just lately earned the WFM title and is edging nearer to the lady worldwide grasp title as effectively, turning into the youngest ever to earn a norm.
Sivanandan has additionally caught the eye of the best feminine participant in historical past, GM Judit Polgar. Earlier this 12 months, Bodhana met the legend in her dwelling in Budapest, getting a masterclass that was filmed by Chess.com. A video of the assembly is about to be launched this month.
9-year-old Bodhana Sivanandan would be the youngest ever to symbolize England at a Chess Olympiad!🏴 Large congrats to you, and I’m excited to comply with your video games come September in Budapest!#ChessConnectsUs #prodigy #keepfocus #sporthistory #newgenerations
📷 https://t.co/GgvoeJphhS pic.twitter.com/hoZFUJLHax
— Judit Polgar (@GMJuditPolgar) July 3, 2024
Bodhana will subsequent be in motion on July 7 on the annual ChessFest at London’s Tragalgar Sq., whereas she may even play in Chess.com’s Youngsters vs. Stars on July 16, the place she is going to compete towards Houska and WGM Nemo Zhou in a enjoyable sequence of matches.
