For some time now, various perspectives in the world of chess have pointed to Faustino Oro, the Argentine boy who is 10 years old and who has already achieved excellent results. But, so far, none as transcendent as the one he achieved this Sunday: defeat Magnus Carlsen, the world number 1in a bullet (ultra-fast) game.
The game took place during Bullet Brawl 2024. Gold, with white and an ELO ranking of 2955, beat the Norwegian grandmaster (3246) in 48 moves. An impeccable game from the Argentine, who capitalized on a couple of Carlsen’s errors to win a historic victory.
The first place in the tournament went to the American grandmaster Hikaru Nakamura, with 232 points, followed by the Mexican José Martínez Alcántara, with 227, while third was Daniel Naroditsky, also from the United States, with 195. Gold finished 21st among 156 players, with 108 units. The Bullet Brawl is an open contest of quick games, with one minute per player to make all the moves, and with minimal margin for analysis, and more conducive to intuitive play.
Oro, barely ten years old, had already appeared in the World Quick Games in 2023 against real heavyweights in the chess world of all ages, with notable results. There were actually two World Cups, one of quick games at a pace of 15 minutes per player + 10 seconds per move made, and the other of blitz, more dizzying, with 3 minutes per player + 2 seconds per move. The most important of the two is rapid, because it is closer to the classic chess of major tournaments. In that tournament, out of 13 total games, Faustino won 3, including a victory over a grandmaster and tied 2. We are talking about a ten-year-old boy who competes with adults who are among the best in the world and who far surpass him in the ranking. In the blitz, Faustino’s performance was even better since out of 21 games played he won 8 and tied one, once again having a great teacher among his losers.
In comparisons with other grandmasters, Faustino’s level at the same age is superior. This data alone does not determine anything, but it is a good indication of Faustino Oro’s potential. This boy is a chess phenomenon, and although it is still too early to predict how far he will go, it is not risky to assume that he will reach the elite of the ten best in the world. At the moment, with his ranking, he is among the best 500 players in the world, with a FIDE master title, in addition to leading the world ranking for his age. An achievement that he achieved in just three years, since he had learned to play chess during the pandemic.
Faustino’s own analysis
His attitude towards chess is very professional, since as soon as he finishes his game he begins to analyze it in depth with his computer. A commitment that his parents have also assumed, leaving their tasks, their life routine, almost everything, to move with their son to live in Barcelona (a parallel with Lionel Messi that is felt again and again), central site of world chess, which will allow Faustino to have an intense brush with high chess, something essential to progress.