Bodhana Sivanandan, 11, becomes youngest female International Master, breaking Judit Polgar's 38-year-old record

Eleven-year-old Bodhana Sivanandan has become the youngest female player ever to qualify for the International Master (IM) title, breaking a record held by Hungarian chess legend Judit Polgar since 1988.

Sivanandan, from Harrow in north London, secured her third and final IM norm with a final-round win at the European Women’s Chess Club Cup 2026 in Budva, Montenegro, on Friday. Aged 11 years, seven months and 16 days, she beat Polgar’s benchmark: Polgar was 12 when she earned the title.

She defeated Sweden’s Woman International Master Viktoria Johansson in 32 moves in the last round, finishing on 5.5 points from seven games on board one for She Plays to Win Lionesses, with a rating performance of 2465, Chess.com reported. The European Chess Union congratulated her on X for the final-round win.

The result also makes Sivanandan the seventh-youngest player of either sex to qualify for the IM title, and one of only ten players ever to do so before turning 12, Chess.com said.

“I’m happy about that but hopefully I’m able to get the grandmaster title soon as well!” she said in a post-game interview on the official broadcast.

Less than a month earlier, Sivanandan became the youngest Woman Grandmaster in history, the Indian Express reported.

Sources

• Chess.com: https://www.chess.com/news/view/bodhana-sivanandan-youngest-female-international-master
• The Hindu: https://www.thehindu.com/sport/11-year-old-bodhana-sivanandan-becomes-the-youngest-female-international-master/article71619148.ece
• Indian Express: https://indianexpress.com/article/sports/chess/indian-bodhana-sivanandan-breaks-judit-polgar-38-year-record-10934410/
• Daily Pioneer: https://dailypioneer.com/sports/11-year-old-indian-origin-bodhana-sivanandan-becomes-youngest-female-international-master
• ETV Bharat: https://www.etvbharat.com/en/sports/bodhana-sivanandan-breaks-38-year-old-record-of-judit-polgar-enn26102403429