The release of the monthly FIDE rating list always brings excitement, but the April 2026 FIDE ratings have left the chess world in absolute awe of one specific player. It isn't Magnus Carlsen, and it isn't the new Candidates Champion.
All eyes are on Bodhana Sivanandan, the 11-year-old British chess sensation who has just registered one of the most astonishing rating jumps in recent memory.
A Staggering +98 ELO Point Jump
Gaining rating points at the master level is a slow, grueling process. Most top players are happy to gain 5 to 10 points in a successful month. In the April 2026 FIDE list, Bodhana Sivanandan gained a massive 98 ELO points.
This wasn't a sudden glitch; it is the result of her destroying much older, titled opponents across multiple classical tournaments over the past few weeks. Her aggressive, fearless playstyle has proven too much for seasoned masters to handle.
Breaking Records in English Chess
Bodhana has been a known talent for years, winning World Youth Championships and making headlines globally. However, this recent rating spike pushes her into uncharted territory:
- England's Number One: With this jump, she has effectively become the highest-rated active female player in England.
- The GM Trajectory: Her current rating progression is matching—and in some metrics, outpacing—the early trajectories of legendary female players like Judit Polgar and Hou Yifan.
Chess World Reaction: Top grandmasters and commentators have taken to social media to praise Sivanandan's phenomenal achievement, with many predicting she will easily achieve the full Grandmaster (GM) title before she turns 14.
Watch Bodhana in Action (PGN)
Want to see how an 11-year-old dismantles international masters? Review one of her spectacular attacking games from last month below.
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