Chess: Bodhana Sivanandan, 11, can break another world age record on Friday

Sivanandan has already joined the ten youngest 2400-rated players of all time, a list that includes Roman Shogdzhiev, Nodirbek Abdusattorov, Faustino Oro, and Yagiz Kaan Erdogmus.

The 11-year-old British player is competing in the European Club Cup in Budva, Montenegro, and is just a few rating points away from the 2400 mark.

She has already drawn from a winning position against GM Nino Batsiashvili, rated 2426, and outplayed an IM opponent in round three to reach a rating of 2399.4.

Path to history

Sivanandan’s next game on Friday afternoon will be broadcast live on lichess, starting at 1pm BST.

If she wins against a 2034-rated opponent or draws against an 2116-rated player, she will secure her third and final International Master norm.

This achievement would break Judit Polgar’s female world age record from 38 years ago and make her the 11th youngest IM in history.

Youngest GM in history

Sivanandan is not the only prodigy in the chess world; 11-year-old Russian Roman Shogdzhiev is also on a record-breaking path.

Shogdzhiev, born in 2015, is being groomed as the heir apparent to Soviet legends Mikhail Botvinnik, Anatoly Karpov, and Garry Kasparov.

His team of coaches, led by GM Evgeny Tomashevsky, organises periodic blitz tournaments in Moscow to hone his speed skills.

Shogdzhiev has already registered two of the three required grandmaster norms and now needs just one more and a 2500 rating to capture Abhimanyu Mishra’s world age record.

European Club Cup highlights

In another story from the European Club Cup, IM Richard Pert scored a career-best result by defeating GM Jorden van Foreest, rated 2716 and ranked No 24 in the world.

Pert, 45, an ECF national chess coach, is on a roll with a 6/6 total before Friday’s final round.

His twin brother, Nicholas, is a grandmaster, and his children Max and Nina both hold FIDE titles.

Cheddleton Savills Catering, seeded only 16th, have been a revelation, winning five of their six matches by wide margins.

They face the Israeli champions Rishon LeZion in the final round, with an outside chance for a medal.

Other chess news

The US Championship at Saint Louis went to a rapid and blitz playoff on Thursday night after Fabiano Caruana, the world No 3 and defending champion, caught up with the world No 6, Wesley So.

So won the playoff 1.5-0.5, standing better in both games but narrowly escaping defeat in the first.

The London Chess Classic returns next month from 25 November to 4 December.