Faustino Oro, the Messi of Chess, almost breaks the record for youngest GM in Moscow
International master Faustino Oro, a young Argentine chess prodigy, came very close to making history in the sport, but was defeated in the decisive round of the 2026 Aeroflot Open, concluded on March 5, 2026. Despite the defeat, the chess player ended the competition with an increase in his rating score and expressed optimism about his future achievement of the Grandmaster title.
At just 12 years old, the talent needed just one additional standard in an open tournament to be recognized as the youngest Grandmaster in history, during the event that took place in Moscow between February 28th and March 5th, 2026. Grandmaster Ian Nepomniachtchi was the champion of the dispute, scoring 7.5 out of 9 possible points.
To achieve his goal, Oro had to win the final game, playing with the black pieces against the experienced 19-year-old Grandmaster Aleksey Grebnev. However, the young man lost the fierce confrontation, failing to reach the necessary mark.
In a statement, the young chess player remained positive about the future, stating: “The good thing is that I will probably achieve the standard soon. No record, but I will soon become a grandmaster.”
Full coverage: Latest News (EN)
He reiterated his confidence, saying, “The good thing is that I will probably be able to reach the standard soon. No record, but I will become a grandmaster soon.”
Oro started the tournament with a good performance, accumulating 3.5 points in the first five rounds. That start included a draw with Grandmaster Raunak Sadhwan and an impressive comeback victory, where he managed to turn an unfavorable situation into a triumph.
The 12-year-old chess player faced an obstacle in the sixth round, with a defeat to Grandmaster Ivan Rozum. This result made their search for the standard considerably more difficult. However, Oro demonstrated great resilience by winning the next two matches, preserving their chances of achieving the goal.
In the seventh round, the young chess player checkmated his opponent through a remarkable rook sacrifice.
The score of that match was Lad Mandar Pradip 0-1 Faustino Oro, in the seventh round of the 2026 Aeroflot Open.
Later, in the eighth round, Oro displayed superior technique at the end of the match, overcoming an opponent in an initially balanced position.
Follow: all about Sport
In the eighth round, the clash ended with Faustino Oro’s 1-0 victory.
See Also
Oldest turtle on the planet, Jonathan, is alive and warns about cryptocurrency scam
After 53 years, a message in a bottle reveals the fate of a girl and generates an emotional reunion
Mackenzie Dern defends strawweight belt against Gillian Robertson at UFC 330 in Philadelphia
Known as “the Messi of Chess” due to his precocious and extraordinary talent, Oro began the final round aware of the goal of surpassing the record for youngest Grandmaster. The title currently belongs to Abhimanyu Mishra, who won it in 2021, at the age of 12 years, 4 months and 25 days. Had Oro been successful, he would have reached the milestone at 12 years, 4 months and 19 days, surpassing Mishra by six days.
Playing with the black pieces, Oro adopted an aggressive approach and had the opportunity to gain an advantage over the Russian Grandmaster. However, this intense strategy ended up backfiring on him, and the match situation quickly deteriorated.
The result of the ninth round was Aleksey Grebnev 1-0 Faustino Oro.
In his post-match analysis, Oro was direct: “I didn’t play badly overall, but today I didn’t play a good game. In fact, I played a very bad game,” said the young chess player.
He also made reference to the chances that arose during the confrontation, commenting: “My opponent gave me chances to win. The game could have been better, and maybe I could have succeeded.”
Oro finished the tournament in 27th place among 169 competitors, gaining 5.5 points and achieving an increase in his rating. When evaluating his participation, the Argentine prodigy commented:
“I had some good games and some bad games. Overall, the tournament was good. It wasn’t the best tournament of my life, but it wasn’t a bad tournament.”
Still, he acknowledged that the missed chance to make history left him upset, declaring, “It was a tough tournament. I was a little sad at the end, as I could have achieved my final norm and the record.”
The young man concluded his reflection on the tournament, reaffirming: “It was a difficult tournament. I was a little sad at the end, as I could have reached my final standard and the record.”
Oro’s performance was also praised by the tournament champion, Ian Nepomniachtchi. “He is, without a doubt, an extraordinary talent. On paper, it was not certain that he would play so well. Even I was skeptical about his chances,” said Nepomniachtchi.
Although Faustino Oro can no longer surpass Abhimanyu Mishra’s record for youngest Grandmaster, he still has a chance to win the title soon. The next chance for him to obtain the final standard is scheduled for the Menorca Open in April, an event that, interestingly, will also feature Mishra.
