I was just wondering if anyone else had this problem - I am working towards Grade 7 piano and in some of the pieces, I can't play the chords properly simply because my fingers don't stretch far enough. It doesn't really make too much of a difference to the chord because say I can't reach a G, I just adjust it to an octave above or below so that I can play it but I don't really think I would be able to do this in an exam.
I told this to my piano teacher and he said that I just have to stretch. But I am only 14 and apparently you are supposed to be older, taller and have bigger hands by the time you are doing Grade 7. This is really annoying me because I can't help that I am at a younger age doing it!!! Anyone got any tips???

if it's not physically possible for u to play the chord, surely they can't mark out down for that! playing it an octave lower/higher (or not at all? depends on the chord) is probably the best option.

It's wrong for any examination to think that a candidate of any particular age should fit into a 'size category'.

Age has nothing to do with physical build, there are lots of adults who are small, with small hands, and also children who are big and have large hands.

The examiner shouldn't penalise you for having small hands providing the decisions you make on playing the chords are musically satisfactory.

Why don't you try spreading the chords?

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It's wrong for any examination to think that a candidate of any particular age should fit into a 'size category'.

I have quite a small reach, can't always play all the notes in a chord where the top and bottom are an octave apart. Depends what the in between notes are.

Just spread the chords, that's what I did when I took my grade 7 and it wasn't mentioned at all.

see if you can take some of the keys in the other hand?