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At 12, Argentina’s Faustino Oro Clinches Second GM Norm in Buenos Aires, Eyes Youngest-GM Record

He now faces a tight window to secure a third norm in an eligible open event before March 7, 2026.

Overview

  • Oro secured the norm by drawing with eight-time Argentine champion Diego Flores in the final round of the Magistral Szmetan-Giardelli, finishing undefeated on 5.5/9.
  • His performance exceeded a 2600 rating and met FIDE requirements, with results against top rivals including Aryan Tari, Alexei Shirov, Ivan Cheparinov and Julio Granda.
  • The 12-year-old’s Elo is 2503, above the 2500 mark for the title, leaving one remaining norm to become a Grandmaster and to challenge Abhimanyu Mishra’s age record.
  • FIDE rules now demand at least one norm from an open tournament, while his upcoming World Rapid & Blitz in Doha and the closed Tata Steel Challenger do not provide GM norms.
  • The achievement has spurred broader interest, with Garry Kasparov acknowledging his rise and a proposed meeting with President Javier Milei linked to a 2030 Chess Olympiad bid for Argentina.