10-Year-Old Keya Jha Defeats Grandmaster Hours After Bodhana, Sets U.S. Record

When 10-year-old Keya Jha beat a grandmaster in the final round of the Joe Yun Memorial, she not only sensationally clinched first place in the tournament, but also set a U.S. record for being the youngest American to defeat a grandmaster in a classical game.

Last week, Chess.com reported on WFM Bodhana Sivanandan‘s brilliant achievement at the 2025 British Chess Championship, in which she became the youngest girl ever to defeat a grandmaster, and the youngest to achieve the Woman International Master (WIM) title.

Remarkably, Bodhana’s victory came on August 10, the very same day that Keya defeated GM Bryan Smith in the final round of the Joe Yun Memorial in Akron, Ohio. With Bodhana competing in the European morning and Keya later in the U.S., the two 10-year-olds achieved their feats just hours apart. 

At 10 years, nine months, and two days old, Keya was two months younger than IM Carissa Yip in 2014 when she defeated GM Alexander Ivanov, which means Keya has set an American record for the youngest girl to defeat a grandmaster in a classical game.

The win capped off a fantastic tournament run for the 10-year-old, as she scored 4.5/5 to cash in the $2,000 first-place prize, ahead of Smith and FM Dalton Perrine. 

Speaking to Chess.com, Keya’s father Ayoosh Jha explained that the win came under dramatic circumstances as Smith lost on time in a winning position.

“She was in a state of disbelief about what had happened,” he said, adding. “She had to cross-check with the tournament director twice about whether she had really won. She knew that her position was a little worse, so she was happy and relieved.”

She was in a state of disbelief about what had happened.
—Ayoosh Jha, father of Keya

Regardless, a win is a win, and it is not the first time a player wins under somewhat lucky circumstances. “Jha offered just enough resistance to actually flag her opponent in a game with a 30-second increment,” JJ Lang pointed out in his ChessLife Online article on the feat.

Keya was born in Redwood, California, to parents of Indian origin. She discovered chess at the age of 4.5, but it was only when she was seven, during the pandemic, that she started playing in tournaments. “She picked up some of the rules when she saw me playing online and got intrigued by how the pieces moved. She sat next to me every day, and I taught her all the other rules,” Keya’s father said.

Fast forward three years, and the youngster is now closing in on her goal of becoming a National Master (NM), having picked up 79 rating points in Ohio. She is also set to climb significantly on the list of the nation’s highest-ranked girls under 11.

Keya has worked with GM Dmitry Gordievsky since September 2024, a move that her father says has taken her game to a new level.  “Another huge part of her journey has been her mom. Even though she didn’t know much about chess at first, she’s always been by her side—helping her practice, giving advice, and encouraging her to push further.” 

Keya herself was interviewed last week on her “surreal experience” by the Columbus Chess Academy. “A dream come true,” she said.

Beyond her skills on the chessboard, Keya has other talents. At just 10, she is academically accelerated and currently in 7th grade and studying advanced math. She also has a black belt in taekwondo and is a top-ranked tennis player in Ohio.

Having almost achieved her goal of becoming an NM, she has set her eyes on chasing the FM title. Keya’s next event is the Ohio Chess Congress, which takes place August 29-31.