Faustino Oro, a young chess player from Argentina, became the second youngest Grandmaster in history at 12 years, 6 months, and 26 days old, according to a May 10 announcement.
This achievement is significant as it highlights Oro’s rapid progress and remarkable talent in the international chess community. The title of Grandmaster is one of the highest honors in the sport.
Oro competed at the Sardinia Open with an Elo rating of 2629. He remained undefeated after eight rounds by securing five wins and three draws against players from Germany, France, Italy, Poland, and India. His most recent victory was against Polish International Master Bartlomiej Niedbala with white pieces. This win gave him six points out of a possible eight and ensured he would meet all requirements for the Grandmaster title regardless of his result in the final round against Russian player Ian Nepomniachtchi.
To achieve his final Grandmaster norm, Oro needed a performance rating above 2600 Elo points. Due to his strong results during the tournament and facing Nepomniachtchi—whose high ranking allows for qualification even if defeated—Oro secured this milestone before playing his last game.
In June 2024, Oro had already become the youngest International Master ever at just over ten years old. By May 2026 he reached his best classical Elo ranking with a score of 2528 points.
Oro is scheduled to play his last match in Sardinia on Sunday morning local time.
