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Oro Faustino, the 11-year-old Argentinian chess sensation frequently dubbed a “Chess Messi,” has achieved history by becoming the first player under 12 to earn a grandmaster norm and surpass a 2500 rating.

During the recent Legends and Prodigies competition in the Spanish capital, Oro ended without a loss with seven and a half points out of nine, securing his first GM norm with 1.5 points as a cushion. The player’s FIDE rating has reached over 2500, establishing him as the most youthful in history to cross the 2500 barrier.

Future Targets and Record-Breaking Ambitions

Oro is now targeting to secure his second and third GM norms in the next few months, which would see him the youngest GM ever, breaking the current world record held by Abhimanyu Mishra.

The prodigy’s forthcoming events include the World Cup in India, the Club Cup in Europe in Greece, and a closed tournament in his home country.

Historical Context

Abhimanyu Mishra, the one who earlier established the youngest GM record in the year 2021, encountered challenges and required several competitions before achieving the grandmaster title. Yet, lately, Mishra proved his talent by almost earning a spot for the Candidates tournament.

Sergey Karjakin, another past youngest GM, previously had a memorable showdown with Magnus Carlsen in the 2016 championship, whereas Gukesh, currently the sitting world champion, as well boasts a place among the youngest grandmasters.

Style of Play and Public Image

The Argentinian prodigy is known for his adaptable style, able to performing well in marathon endgames, strategic battles, quick agreements, and creative offensives.

Despite some speculation about event setups, Oro’s performances in earlier events, such as the Masters in Fujairah, demonstrate his preparedness for the grandmaster level.

With solid media support and a catchy last name, he is seen as a future global icon in chess, particularly as present leading figures like Carlsen approach retirement.

Upcoming Events

In other competitive chess news, the Team Championship in Europe is set to begin in Batumi, Georgia, with England entering as the sixth seeded team.

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

The German team, headed by Matthias Blübaum and Vincent Keymer, are the top seeded and favorites for the title.

In the Ladies’ European Championship, England is seeded 12th spot and is captained by Grandmaster Stuart Conquest.

Fans can view the matches live and free on online platforms like the Lichess site and Chess.com.

Puzzle Solution: First Qxg7+! Kxg7 2 Bd8+! Kh8 3 Rg8+! Rxg8 Fourth Bf6+ Rg7 5 Bxg7+ Kg8 6 Bxd4+ Kf7 7 Rf1+ Ke7 Eighth Bxb2, and the white pieces emerge victorious.