An eight-year-old lady from London has set new chess information at a European match.
Bodhana Sivanandan gained the ladies’s prize on the European blitz championship in Zagreb, Croatia, ending 73rd out of 555 gamers.
Sivanandan arrived late to the occasion within the Croatian capital after going to the incorrect entrance and needed to forfeit her first recreation, dropping by default, The Guardian reported.
Nonetheless, the younger prodigy gained 8.5/13 factors in opposition to a subject that contained a few of the finest gamers on the earth, together with 48 grandmasters — the best title a chess participant can maintain.
In a single recreation, the eight-year-old defeated the worldwide grasp and England ladies’s coach Lorin D’Costa.
Within the ultimate spherical, she drew with Romanian grandmaster Vladislav Nevednichy, 54, the youngest participant ever to keep away from defeat to a chess champion of the highest rank in a aggressive recreation.
Her match efficiency was rated at 2316, the extent of a girl grandmaster, per The Guardian.
Dominic Lawson, the president of the English Chess Federation, mentioned her efficiency was “fully exceptional however not that stunning, as a result of she is a phenomenon,” The Instances reported.
“It is an extraordinÂary end result for an eight-year-old and one thing we have actually by no means seen on this nation,” Lawson mentioned. “She has a remarkably mature taking part in fashion, it is strategic and affected person. She has what you would possibly describe as an extended recreation.”
Many seasoned chess gamers have additionally weighed in on Sivanandan’s advantageous show, with Irina Bulmaga, a Romanian skilled chess participant and worldwide grasp, hailing it as an “unbelievable end result.”
“What a phenomenon she is,” she added in a publish on X, previously Twitter.
Lawrence Trent, one other worldwide grasp wrote in one other publish: “Bodhana Sivanandan is likely one of the best abilities I’ve witnessed in latest reminiscence. The maturity of her play, her chic contact, it is actually breathtaking. I’ve little question she will likely be England’s best participant and more than likely one of many best the sport has ever seen.”
The eight-year-old took up the sport through the UK’s COVID-19 pandemic and realized shortly, even being invited to play chess with British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak at 10 Downing Avenue, The Instances reported.
