Faustino Oro is called the “Messi of Chess” by his fans (Graphic by TimesofIndia.com) NEW DELHI: “Lionel Messi has shaken hands with heaven. A little boy from Rosario, Santa Fe, has just taken off in the sky. He is climbing in his own galaxy… while falling in love with the object in the world that his heart most desired, it is hard to escape the notion that he considers himself the ‘greatest of all time’ today.”Four years ago, when the quick, diminutive Argentinian put his lips on the World Cup trophy, it was the very happy words lent to him by the melodious voice of renowned English commentator Peter Drury. Listening to these lines might take you back to the day when the “greatest” finally tasted his most coveted glory. Close your eyes and remember that goosebumps may not be too far my friend.
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Harika Dronavalli Exclusive: Inside Grenke’s #chess win, viral no-handshake incident and moreOver the years, the word “Messi” has grown into something much bigger than just a surname. It represents a rare breed of talent the world has never seen before. However, the term has been used so sparingly that whenever the talent is compared to this “Messi” phenomenon, it almost feels like an entry into an exclusive elite list. Faustino Oro, a 12-year-old from the same South American country, is one of its latest participants.This “Chess Messi” became the talk of the town this week as the boy with the round colored glasses finally became a Grandmaster (GM), the second youngest player ever after American Abhimanyu Mishra to achieve the highest title in the 64 board game. And while “finally” may sound almost absurd for someone who achieved it at just 12 years, 6 months and 26 days, the hype surrounding it has existed for so long that the title itself has begun to feel overdue.And if it weren’t for the change in FIDE regulations that came into effect in 2024, he would have done it much faster, many feel. “One of the biggest challenges was the rule change introduced by FIDE regarding the standards of grandmasters,” said Mario Petrucci, Executive Director of the Argentine Chess Federation, during an exclusive interview with TimesofIndia.com.
Where Oro stumbled in his pursuit
The road to a grandmaster title is usually a marathon, but for Fautin it was a race against a moving finish line. Petrucci explained that the main obstacle.“Previously it was possible to get all three standards in closed tournaments, but the new rules required one of them to be achieved in open tournaments, where success depends not only on good play, but also on pairs,” noted Petrucci.
Faustino Oro at the FIDE World Cup last year in Goa, India (Photo: Michal Walusza/FIDE)
“For example, at the Menorca tournament (in April 2026), Faustino scored 5 out of 6 points, but he was not paired with a grandmaster, which means he could no longer reach the standard, even if he won the remaining rounds,” he added.“Situations like this show how difficult it is to get standards, even for extremely talented players.”
From indoor soccer to the GM title
The legend of Faustino Oro began in the closed spaces of COVID.Exactly six years ago, at the height of the pandemic, in an apartment in the San Cristóbal district of Buenos Aires, Faustino spent most of his time playing soccer, breaking a few things in his house, while his parents decided to teach him a board game so that the family could spend time together and maybe save a few home decorations along the way. That board game was chess.“What started as simple fun quickly turned into something extraordinary. The results kept coming: he beat opponent after opponent, learned at an unusually fast pace, and displayed a natural understanding of the game far beyond what could be expected at his age,” recalled Petrucci.
His regimen is extremely demanding for a child his age. He studies chess for approximately six hours a day
Mario Petrucci, Executive Director of the Argentine Chess Federation
Know the Oro bloodline
While Faustino’s rise seems like a bolt of lightning, the name “Oro” already carried weight in the Argentine chess world. His grandfather, Luis Oro, was a strong player who in his prime played at the level of a FIDE Modern Master.The connection runs so deep that the very first game in Argentine GM Sergio Slipak’s book, “Fausti rumbo al oro mundial,” is his grandfather’s victory, illustrating what could be considered a family origin of the story.Even his father, Alejandro Oro, is internationally ranked, although Petrucci said he “hasn’t reached the chess power that Faustino’s grandfather once had.”
Traveling to Barcelona three years ago
Faustina’s parents, both high-ranking professionals in international companies, realized that they harbored historical talent and therefore decided to move the family to Spain in December 2023. “Moving to Europe was a very important decision aimed at maximizing his sporting development, as much of the world’s elite chess activity is concentrated there,” explained Petrucci.
Faustino Oro with his mother Romina and father Alejandro (special arrangement)
Faustino is currently based in Barcelona and enjoys peace, security and great opportunities.From there, he can effortlessly jump into professional leagues in Portugal, Italy, France and Germany. Being an only child made this transition easier and allowed him to remain highly active in the most competitive chess environment in the world.
Six hours of discipline, a lifelong passion
Faustino’s schedule would upset most adults. He normally goes to school until noon, but in the afternoon he belongs to the board.“His routine is extremely demanding for a kid of his age: he studies chess for around six hours a day, combining theoretical preparation, tactical training, game analysis and online practice against very high players,” Petrucci revealed.Over the years, it has been guided by various specialists, starting with Jorge Rosito and passing through federation coaches who focused on specific phases.However, the secret isn’t just the clock, it’s love. “Faustino really loves studying, analyzing positions and constantly playing games. He has a level of concentration and dedication that is very unusual for someone his age,” he added.
Faustino is someone’s “Chessi”
As the world continued to call him the “Messi of Chess”, it was six-time world chess champion Garry Kasparov who publicly referred to him using the term “Chessi”, a portmanteau of “chess” and “Messi”, earlier this year during the Tata Steel Chess tournament in Wijk Aan Zee, the Netherlands. For a 12-year-old, the weight of being compared to Lionel Messi could be overwhelming, but Faustino is built differently.“He manages it very naturally and with a good sense of humor. Faustino was used to huge expectations from an early age, yet he maintained a very healthy and balanced personality. This nickname pleases him also because Lionel Messi is one of his biggest sporting idols,” noted Petrucci.If you want to know the real character of Fautin Oro, don’t look at his winnings. Look at his losses. Petrucci points to an anecdote from the Villa Martelli when Faustino was only nine years old.The boy competing for the International Master standard faced the beginning of a nightmare. “He didn’t start well and started by losing his first four games. It’s incredible that he showed unusual resilience for his age, he was able to recover and finish the tournament 4 out of 9, with 3 wins and 2 draws in the last five rounds,” said Petrucci, citing Slipák’s book “Fausti rumbo al oro mundial”.As he prepares to make his debut for Argentina’s Olympic team in Samarkand, Uzbekistan later this year, an extraordinary feat for a 12-year-old, the world is watching to see where the line lies.Those around him feel that the goal is to achieve a 2600 Elo rating and cement his place among the global elite. But Faustino Oro is not playing for ratings, he is playing for the crown.READ ALSO: With Judit Polgar, trainer D Gukesh as followers, 12-year-old Aarav Sarbalia reimagines chess as contentAs Petrucci concludes, the boy with the colored glasses never wavered from his ultimate goal. “His biggest dream, he said during his short life, is to one day become a world chess champion,” he signed.
