Royal and 11-year-old Sivanandan make British chess history

Shreyas Royal and Bodhana Sivanandan claimed the main titles at the 2026 British Chess Championships in Coventry, bringing the largest edition in the event’s history to a record-breaking conclusion. Royal, 17, won his first overall British title after finishing ahead of Luke McShane and Michael Adams, while 11-year-old Sivanandan became Britain’s youngest-ever women’s champion after defeating Trisha Kanyamarala in a rapid playoff. | Photos: Yury Krylov