Budva (Montenegro): Britain’s 11-year-old chess prodigy Bodhana Sivanandan has become the youngest female player in history to complete the requirements for the International Master (IM) title, breaking a record held by Judit Polgar for 38 years.

Bodhana secured her third and final IM norm at the European Club Cup in Budva after defeating Sweden’s Woman International Master Viktoria Johansson in the seventh and final round. Playing on board one for She Plays To Win Lionesses A, she finished on 5.5 points from seven games with a rating performance of 2465.

At 11 years, seven months and 16 days, Bodhana surpassed Polgar, who completed the IM title requirements at 12 in 1988. She is also the seventh-youngest player of either gender to achieve the title and one of only ten players to do so before turning 12.

The achievement came less than a month after Bodhana became the youngest player ever to fulfil the requirements for the Woman Grandmaster title at the Chess Olympiad in Samarkand. Her three IM norms were earned within three months, beginning at the Dole Open in France in July.

Bodhana, from Harrow, said she was happy with the record but was already looking ahead. “I’m happy about that, but hopefully I’m able to get grandmaster soon as well,” she said after the game.

English Chess Federation official Malcolm Pein described her as a “generational talent”, while her coach, Grandmaster Mert Erdogdu, called the achievement a stepping stone towards an even stronger career.