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Oro Faustino, the 11-year-old Argentinian chess prodigy often dubbed a “Chess Messi,” has made a historic milestone by becoming the first player under 12 to earn a GM norm and exceed a 2500 rating.

During the latest Legends and Prodigies competition in the Spanish capital, Oro ended unbeaten with 7.5/9, securing his first GM norm with a point and a half as a cushion. The player’s FIDE rating now stands at 2509, making him the youngest ever to break the 2500 barrier.

Future Targets and Historic Ambitions

The young champion now aims to obtain his second and third GM norms in the coming months, and could make him the youngest GM in chess history, surpassing the current record set by Abhimanyu Mishra.

His forthcoming events include the Chess World Cup in India, the Club Cup in Europe in Greece, and a invitational event in Argentina.

Background and Comparisons

Mishra, who previously established the record in the year 2021, encountered challenges and required multiple competitions before achieving the grandmaster title. However, lately, he proved his talent by almost earning a spot for the 2026 Candidates.

Sergey Karjakin, a further former young grandmaster, had a notable showdown with Magnus Carlsen in 2016, whereas Gukesh Dommaraju, the reigning world champion, as well holds a place among the most youthful grandmasters.

Style of Play and Media Presence

Oro is known for his versatile playing style, capable of excelling in marathon endings, positional games, fast agreements, and imaginative attacks.

Despite some discussion about event setups, Oro’s showings in earlier events, such as the Masters in Fujairah, demonstrate his readiness for the grandmaster tier.

With strong media backing and a catchy surname, Oro is seen as a future global icon in chess, particularly as present top players like Magnus Carlsen approach retirement.

Forthcoming Competitions

In other competitive chess updates, the European Team Championship is set to start in Batumi, Georgia, with the English team participating as the sixth seeded team.

Their team features players such as Vitiugov, Michael Adams, Gawain Jones, Luke McShane, and Shreyas Royal, with Grandmaster William Watson serving as team captain.

The German team, headed by Blübaum and Vincent Keymer, is the number one seed and front-runners for the title.

For the Ladies’ European Team Championship, England is seeded 12th position and will be captained by GM Stuart Conquest.

Fans can view the games live and at no cost on digital platforms like Lichess and Chess.com.

Puzzle Answer: 1 Qxg7+! Kxg7 Second Bd8+! Kh8 3 Rg8+! Rxg8 4 Bf6+ Rg7 Fifth Bxg7+ Kg8 6 Bxd4+ Kf7 7 Rf1+ Ke7 Eighth Bxb2, and White emerge victorious.