Talented 8-year-old chess prodigy secures top spot in European Rapid and Blitz Championship for women
Eight-year-old prodigy stuns at the European Rapid and Blitz Chess Championship, triumphing in the women's category The British schoolgirl's remarkable skills shine through as she claims the top prize in Zagreb, Croatia
An exceptional eight-year-old British schoolgirl clinched the top spot in the women's Blitz category at the European Rapid and Blitz Chess Championship held in Zagreb, Croatia this year.
Hans Niemann at the FIDE World Rapid and Blitz Championships 2022 - Blitz Open in Almaty, Kazakhstan.
Pavel Mikheyev/Reuters
Investigation reveals that Hans Niemann did not cheat in the over-the-board match against Magnus Carlsen, but did cheat in as many as 55 online games.
Bodhana Sivanandan, who was described as "super talented" by the competition, achieved a score of 8.5/13 points in the 13-round Blitz competition. The event drew 555 players, including 48 grandmasters (GM) and 50 international masters (IM), according to Chess.com. Sivanandan claimed the women's first prize on Saturday in the Croatian capital.
Sivanandan defeated one International Master (IM) and one FIDE Master (FM), according to Chess.com. She finished in 73rd place overall with 8.5 points and achieved a rating performance of 2316, surpassing several Grandmasters (GMs) and masters. In an interview with the BBC Radio 4s Today program, Sivanandan expressed, "I always give my all to win; sometimes it works out and sometimes it doesn't."
"I felt a great sense of accomplishment when I achieved the top girl title in the European Blitz."
During the second-to-last round, she defeated the international master and England's women's coach, Lorin DCosta, who is over 10 years her senior at the age of 39.
Sivanandan's performance impressed several top players, including Romanian IM Irina Bulmaga, who labeled her as a "phenomenon."
"An incredible achievement by 8-year-old girl Bodhana, who secured a draw in the final round of the European Blitz Championship, earning 8.5 points out of 13 and claiming the first prize among women, beating out myself and numerous other seasoned players! She is truly a phenomenon!" Bulmaga wrote on X, previously known as Twitter.
Meanwhile, the English Chess Federation congratulated Sivanandan, writing on X: "Well done Bodhana. A terrific performance."
