🔗 Share this article Game of Chess Wunderkind Oro Faustino, Just 11, Achieves GM Norm and 2500+ Rating Faustino Oro, the eleven-year-old Argentinian chess prodigy frequently dubbed a “Messi of Chess,” has achieved history by becoming the very first player under 12 to attain a grandmaster norm and surpass a 2500 rating. During the recent Prodigies and Legends tournament in the Spanish capital, Oro finished unbeaten with seven and a half points out of nine, securing his initial GM norm with a point and a half as a cushion. The player’s FIDE rating now stands at over 2500, making him the youngest in history to cross the 2500 barrier. Future Targets and Historic Ambitions Oro is now targeting to obtain his second and third grandmaster norms in the coming months, which would see him the most junior GM ever, breaking the current world record held by Abhimanyu Mishra. The prodigy’s forthcoming events include the World Cup in India, the European Club Cup in the Hellenic Republic, and a invitational event in his home country. Historical Context Abhimanyu Mishra, who previously established the youngest GM record in the year 2021, faced difficulties and needed several tournaments before achieving the grandmaster title. However, recently, he demonstrated his talent by nearly qualifying for the 2026 Candidates. Karjakin, another past youngest GM, previously had a notable showdown with Magnus Carlsen in 2016, while Gukesh Dommaraju, the sitting world champion, also boasts a place among the most youthful grandmasters. Playing Style and Public Image Oro is known for his adaptable style, able to excelling in long endings, positional games, quick agreements, and imaginative attacks. Despite a few speculation about tournament conditions, Oro’s performances in previous events, such as the Masters in Fujairah, demonstrate his preparedness for the grandmaster tier. With strong PR support and a catchy surname, Oro is viewed as a future global icon in chess, particularly as current top players such as Carlsen approach the end of their careers. Upcoming Events In other competitive chess news, the European Team Championship will start in Batumi, Georgia, with the English team participating as the sixth seed. Their team includes players such as Vitiugov, Michael Adams, Gawain Jones, Luke McShane, and Shreyas Royal, with GM Watson serving as captain. The German team, led by Matthias Blübaum and Keymer, are the number one seeded and front-runners for the title. For the Women’s European Team Championship, the English women’s team holds the twelfth spot and will be led by Grandmaster Stuart Conquest. Fans can view the matches in real time and free on online platforms like Lichess and the Chess.com platform. Puzzle Answer: First Qxg7+! Kxg7 2 Bd8+! Kh8 Third Rg8+! Rxg8 4 Bf6+ Rg7 5 Bxg7+ Kg8 6 Bxd4+ Kf7 7 Rf1+ Ke7 8 Bxb2, and White emerge victorious.