Faustino Oro Not only is he a promise in international chess, he is also one of the best Argentine chess players today. His youth and career position him as a notable player in the renowned “sports science” that is all the rage on social networks. For this reason, a viral video starring the 12-year-old teenager spread on Instagram. In the sequence, at the end of a game, the boy performed his usual “tactical scan,” analyzed the board, confirmed that victory was inevitable, and began to put on his jacket before his rival gave up.
The scene generated thousands of comments about the remarkable psychological play of the teenager, considered one of the greatest promises in world chess. “The Messi of chess” has marked milestones that many great teachers cross after decades. Born on October 14, 2013 in Buenos Aires, he began moving the pieces during the COVID-19 pandemic, almost self-taught, until his parents supported him with professional coaches.
His lifestyle completely reflects that of a prodigy: both his father, Alejandro, and his mother, Romina, left stable jobs behind to accompany him in his career. They moved to Badalona, near Barcelona, because there Faustino could compete regularly in very high-level European tournaments, although they later returned to Argentina because of the complexity of the clash with school life and the emotional distance.
“My only passion is chess,” the young man highlighted, when he was 9 years old, in a television interview. At that age he achieved his first International Master standard in the ITT Copa Ciudad de Comodoro Rivadavia tournament. Then came two other rules: the second in Medellín (Colombia) and the third, decisive, in the closed tournament of the Club d’Escacs of Barcelona. In the Catalan competition he finished undefeated (four wins and five draws), which was enough for him to be crowned with 6.5 points out of 9 and keep the title. In this way, at 10 years, 8 months and 16 days, he broke the previous record and became the youngest international master in history.
Last year, during the Bullet Brawl tournament, he defeated two of the biggest names in modern chess: Magnus Carlsen (number one in the world) and Hikaru Nakamura (third), in fast digital games. This feat generated great international media coverage, and for many marked its entry onto the world map as a phenomenon. In November 2024, he became the youngest player to play in the final of the Absolute Argentine Championship, at just 11 years old. At the end of the tournament he achieved an outstanding fourth place for his age and experience. Furthermore, that year he received the Silver Olympia Awardbecoming the youngest athlete to obtain it for performance in chess.
“Romina and I didn’t care about the record, but Fausti wanted the title,” he said. Alejandro Oro in an interview, emphasizing that for his son sporting achievement mattered more than breaking a record for precocity. Faustino’s grandfather also played chess, and according to the prodigy, “he usually beats him,” although with respect: “He could lose to worse people, but it’s difficult for that to happen,” he said in a television talk.
Faustino Oro’s playing style has been described as very complete: it combines a solid theoretical preparation in openings with a very mature criterion for the transition to the middle game, good psychological management, and a balance between attack and defense. His coach, the International Master Jorge Rosito, It has been a fundamental piece to refine those technical aspects.
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