New Delhi:Lionel Messi Shake hands with heaven. Rosario’s little boy, Santa Fe, has just entered heaven. He ascends into a galaxy of his own… When he loves the thing in the world that his heart desires most, it is hard to avoid the assumption that he has presented himself as the ‘greatest of all time’ today.“As the quick-footed, dim-witted Argentine set his lips on the FIFA World Cup trophy four years ago, those were the very lucky words delivered by the melodious voice of renowned English commentator Peter Drury. Listening to these lines can take you back to the day when “The Greatest” finally tasted his most coveted glory. Close your eyes and remember, goosebumps can’t be far away, my friend.
Over the years, the word “Messi” has become much more than just a surname. It represents a rare breed of talent that the world has never witnessed before. However, the term is so underused that whenever a talent is compared to this “Messie” phenomenon, it almost feels like entering an exclusive elite list. One of its latest entrants is 12-year-old Faustino Oro from the same South American country.This “Chess Messi” became the talk of the town this week, as the rotund, tinted-glasses boy finally became a Grandmaster (GM), the second-youngest player to win the most titles in the chess game at 64 after USA’s Abhimanyu Mishra. And while ‘finally’ might sound almost ridiculous for someone who achieved the feat in just 12 years, 6 months and 26 days, the buzz surrounding it had been around for so long that the title itself began to feel redundant.And if not for the changes to the FIDE regulations that take effect in 2024, he would have done it much sooner, many feel. “One of the biggest challenges was the rule change implemented by FIDE regarding the Grandmaster rules,” Mario Petrucci, executive director of the Argentine Chess Federation, told TimesofIndia.com during an exclusive interview.
Where Oro stumbles in pursuit
The road to the Grandmaster title is usually a marathon, but for Faustino, it was a race against a shifting finish line. Petrucci explained that the main obstacle.“Previously, all three rules could be achieved in closed tournaments, but the new regulations require one of them to be achieved in open tournaments, where success depends not only on good play but also on pairings,” Petrucci noted.
Faustino Oro at the FIDE World Cup in Goa, India last year (Photo by Michal Walusza/FIDE)
“For example, at the Menorca tournament (in April 2026), Faustino won 5 out of 6 points, but he was not paired against a grandmaster, meaning he would not be able to achieve the norm even if he won the rest of the rounds.” He added.“Situations like this show how difficult it is for even exceptionally talented players to get the hang of the rules.”
From Hallway Football to the GM Title
The legend of Faustino Oro began in the confined spaces of the COVID lockdown.Exactly six years ago, during the height of the pandemic, in an apartment in the San Cristóbal neighborhood of Buenos Aires, Faustino spent most of his time playing soccer, breaking things in his house, while his parents decided to teach him a board game so the family could spend time together and maybe save some home decorations along the way. That board game was chess.“What began as simple fun quickly turned into something extraordinary. Slowly, the results came in: He beat opponent after opponent, learned at an unusually fast pace, and demonstrated an innate understanding of the game far beyond what his age would have expected,” recalled Petrucci.
His routine is very important for a child his age. He studies chess for about six hours a day.
Mario Petrucci, Executive Director of the Argentine Chess Federation
Get to know the Oro bloodline.
While Faustino’s rise feels like lightning, the name “Oro” already carries weight in the Argentine chess world. His grandfather, Louis Oro, was a strong player who, in his day, played at the level of a modern-day FIDE Master.The connection is so deep that the first game in Argentina GM Sergio Slepak’s book “Fausti Rambo El Oro Mondial” is his grandfather’s victory, which explains what could be considered the family origin of the story.Even his father, Alejandro Oro, has an international ranking, although Petrucci said, “He never reached the chess power that Faustino’s grandfather once possessed.”
Traveled to Barcelona three years ago.
Recognizing that they were harboring a historic talent, Faustino’s parents, both high-level professionals in international companies, made the life-changing decision to move the family to Spain in December 2023. “Moving to Europe was a very important decision to maximize the growth of his sport, as most of the world’s elite chess activity is concentrated there,” explained Petrucci.
Faustino Oro with his mother Romina and father Alejandro (Special Arrangements)
Currently based in Barcelona, Faustino enjoys peace, security and great opportunities.From there, he could easily jump to professional leagues in Portugal, Italy, France and Germany. Being an only child made the transition easier, allowing him to remain highly active in the most competitive environment of the chess world.
Six hours of discipline, a lifelong passion
Faustino’s schedule would break most adults. He usually goes to school till noon, but the afternoon belongs to the board.“His routine is extremely demanding for a kid his age: he studies chess for about six hours a day, combining theoretical preparation, tactical training, game analysis, and online practice against very high-level players,” Petrucci revealed.He was mentored by various experts over the years, starting with George Roseto and passing through Federation trainers who focused on specific phases.Nevertheless, the secret is not only hours, it is love. “Faustino truly loves to study, analyze positions, and play the game consistently. He has a level of concentration and dedication that is extremely rare for someone his age,” he added.
Faustino belongs to someone.Chess “
He was a six-time World Chess Champion when the world called him the “Messi of Chess”. Garry Kasparov who mentioned it publicly earlier this year during the Tata Steel Chess Tournament in Wijk on Zee, the Netherlands, using the term “Chessy”, a portmanteau of “chess” and “Messi”. For a 12-year-old, the weight of competition from Lionel Messi can be crushing, but Faustino’s build is different.“He handles it very naturally and with good humor. Faustino is used to high expectations from a very young age, yet he maintains a very healthy and balanced personality. He also enjoys the nickname because Lionel Messi is one of his biggest sporting idols,” commented Petrucci.If you want to know the true character of Faustino Oro, look no further than his win. See its disadvantages. Petrucci alludes to an anecdote from the Villa Martelli when Faustino was only nine years old.Competing for the International Master’s standard, the boy faced a nightmare. “He didn’t get off to a good start and lost his first four games. Incredibly, showing extraordinary resilience for his age, he managed to finish the tournament with 4 out of 9, and scored 3 wins and 2 draws in the last five rounds,” Petrucci said, citing Slapik’s book.As he prepares to make his debut for Argentina’s Olympiad team in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, an extraordinary feat for a 12-year-old later this year, the world wants to see where the limit lies.His delegation believes his goal is to achieve a 2600 Elo rating and cement his place among the global elite. But Faustino Oro isn’t playing for rankings, he’s playing for the crown.Also read: With Judith Polgar, coach of De Gokesh as a follower, 12-year-old Arav Sarbalya turned to chess as a subject.As Petrucci concluded, the boy with the colored glasses never wavered in his final destination. “His biggest dream, he has said in his short life, is to one day become a world chess champion,” he signed off.
