The chess world has its eyes on a single name at the start of 2026: Faustino Oro. The 12-year-old Argentine prodigy has flown to Moscow with a clear and ambitious goal that is shaking up current chess news. Will he manage to become the youngest Grandmaster (GM) in the history of the sport?

In this article, we give you all the details about the tournament, what "Fausti" needs to achieve glory, and why this record is so incredibly difficult to break.

What is Faustino Oro aiming for in Moscow this 2026?

Starting February 28, 2026, the Russian capital becomes the stage where Faustino Oro will seek his final Grandmaster norm. After a brilliant run dominating gambits and crushing the defenses of world-elite players in both online and over-the-board tournaments, the final leap to the GM title is closer than ever.

The Current Record: A Gigantic Challenge

To understand the magnitude of what Faustino Oro is trying to achieve in Moscow, we must look at the current record. Right now, the mark for precocity is held by the American Abhimanyu Mishra, who achieved the title at the age of 12 years, 4 months, and 25 days.

For Faustino to break this world record, he needs to:

Achieve a performance rating of over 2600 ELO in the tournament.

Secure his final Grandmaster norm before passing the age limit set by Mishra's record.

Maintain his FIDE ELO rating above 2500 points.

Why is Argentine Chess Celebrating?

Faustino's rise is no coincidence. It represents the fruit of natural talent combined with hours of study with chess engines and intensive training. The Spanish-speaking community has been following his footsteps on streaming platforms, where he has achieved impressive victories in Rapid and Blitz games against super-elites like Magnus Carlsen or Hikaru Nakamura.

Fun Fact: The popularity of chess in Spain and Latin America continues to grow in 2026, not only because of Faustino but also due to cultural phenomena like the recent #1 Netflix comedy, "Menudas piezas", which has brought chess boards back into fashion in high schools.

Follow Faustino Oro's Games (PGN Format)

Round 1 of the Aeroflot Open 2026

WhitePolkovnikyan, Artem(2357)

BlackOro, Faustino(2516)

Moves

1:00:57

1:00:55

1:01:19

1:01:21

1:01:35

1:01:46

1:01:57

1:02:12

1:02:10

1:02:36

1:00:09

1:02:41

0:56:02

1:02:42

0:56:11

1:02:46

0:56:19

1:03:08

10.

0:55:22

0:45:27

11.

0:49:51

0:43:13

12.

0:42:42

0:33:24

13.

0:38:32

0:31:55

14.

0:31:29

0:30:31

15.

0:31:44

0:30:47

16.

0:27:37

0:28:28

17.

0:27:30

0:22:04

18.

0:26:37

0:20:52

19.

0:20:47

0:20:06

20.

0:14:56

0:18:45

21.

0:14:14

0:15:24

22.

0:12:32

0:11:54

23.

0:10:53

0:11:55

24.

0:04:15

0:12:04

25.

0:04:27

0:12:28

26.

0:04:49

0:09:52

27.

0:04:41

0:09:17

28.

0:04:05

0:09:39

29.

0:03:57

0:09:46

30.

0:04:21

0:09:12

31.

0:02:01

0:08:25

32.

0:01:50

0:08:31

33.

0:01:27

0:09:00

34.

0:01:36

0:09:15

35.

0:01:59

0:09:33

36.

0:02:25

0:09:38

37.

0:00:52

0:09:58

38.

0:01:21

0:10:11

39.

0:01:19

0:10:21

40.

0:01:34

0:10:47

41.

0:01:22

0:11:16

42.

0:00:56

0:11:40

43.

0:01:22

0:11:58

44.

0:01:44

0:12:26

45.

0:01:57

0:12:42

Do you think Faustino Oro will achieve this historic feat this week?

Faustino Oro in Moscow 2026: One Step Away from Being the Youngest Grandmaster in History?

What is Faustino Oro aiming for in Moscow this 2026?

The Current Record: A Gigantic Challenge

Why is Argentine Chess Celebrating?

Follow Faustino Oro's Games (PGN Format)

Round 1 of the Aeroflot Open 2026