'Messi Of Chess' Fausti Oro Hits Jackpot With Anand Clashes, TV Appearance & Sponsor Deal
IM Faustino Oro's rise shows no signs of slowing. Now, the 11-year-old prodigy is set to face former World Champion Viswanathan Anand in a match, and potentially in a knockout event. The youngster also dazzled a national TV audience in Spain on May 6.
Dubbed the "Messi of Chess" by Argentinian media, Oro is regarded as one of the most exciting prospects in the chess world today, together with Turkey's GM Yagiz Kaan Erdogmus. The world's youngest-ever international master (IM) recently came close to achieving his first grandmaster norm twice, and climbed above 2450 for the first time in May.
The growing interest in the young star has led to some new opportunities:
- Oro vs. Anand In Clash Of Generations
- Leon Magistral Returns With Anand, Oro, Santos, And Liem
- 11-Year-Old Amazes Millions On National TV In Spain
- New Sponsorship Deal Announced For Oro
Oro vs. Anand In Clash Of Generations
The 11-year-old, now living in Spain, has been rewarded with invitations to two events where he will compete alongside Indian living legend Anand.
First up is Clash of Generations, which takes place in Pietrasanta, a coastal town in Tuscany, Italy, on June 1. The event aims to celebrate the rich history of chess and will see the 55-year-old former world champion take on the 11-year-old prodigy in a one-day exhibition match.
The match will be followed by the Chess Roads project, running June 2-15. That will feature an exhibition showcasing 40 rare and original chess sets from Asia and Europe, promising a journey through the aesthetics, history, and creativity of chess, with pieces in ivory, wood, and bronze, dating from the late 1700s to the present.
The news of the event was announced at a press conference in Milan on Wednesday. It was attended by world-famous tenor Andrea Bocelli, known as a passionate chess lover. He will host a simul between the winner of the match and 20 guests. "I'm thrilled that a special project I've envisioned with friends has come to life in the best way," said Bocelli. "It combines my passion for chess with my love for Versilia."
GM Roberto Mogranzini and his organization, Unichess, are organizing the event. "This will be a unique event for those who view chess not just as a game, but as an intellectual discipline uniting art, science, and strategy."
Leon Magistral In Spain
The 38th edition of the four-player knockout event, the Leon Masters, has also been announced. The event, taking place July 4-6, was last year won by... surprise, surprise, Anand, for a record 10th time.
The semi-retired 55-year-old legend is back in 2025, together with Spanish number-five, GM Jaime Santos Latasa. This year, GMs Arjun Erigaisi and Veselin Topalov have been replaced by Oro and GM Liem Le.
After last year's event, Anand had this to say about the Argentinian prodigy:
Vishy Anand on Faustino Oro: "John Nunn always used to say that you have to beat the young before they get very strong. Instead I can say I've given him an autograph before he got very strong! Another achievement." 😀 pic.twitter.com/eqpycCoCcm
— chess24 (@chess24com) June 30, 2024
The format will repeat in 2025, with four 20+10 rapid games, followed by 3+2 blitz games if the score is tied. The drawing of lots is yet to be made, so we'll see whether chess fans will get a David vs. Goliath match in the semifinal or final.
Oro Amazes Millions With TV Appearance
Last week, Oro also amazed 1.5 million viewers across Spain with an appearance on the popular TV program La Ravuelta. on TVE, the national broadcaster in Spain.
The 11-year-old's remarkable performance has been met with enthusiasm, as reported by a news story on Chess.com in Spanish, and in some of Spain's largest newspapers such as Marca, El Mundo, and El Pais.
Faustino shared insights into his daily training routine, stating, "I play about six hours a day, I'm passionate about it," he said.
I play about six hours a day, I'm passionate about it.
—Faustino Oro
He's also shared his goal of achieving the grandmaster title, noting that he still needs 26 rating points and three grandmaster norms, which could make him the youngest grandmaster in the history of the game.
Oro, who currently boasts a 3090 bullet rating and famously beat GM Magnus Carlsen in a game on Chess.com in the format, also discussed the encounters with the former world champion. "Now we are tied, 1-1. You could say that he is the best player in history and I have beaten him."
Faustino Oro. Tiene 11 años y, a día de hoy, ostenta el título de Maestro Internacional más joven de la historia.
— La Revuelta (@LaRevuelta_TVE) May 6, 2025
✅ Invitado más joven
✅ Invitado más listo#LaRevuelta @FaustiOro pic.twitter.com/q4TXqOtr9z
Another highlight was when the 11-year-old played a game against TV host David Broncano, who claimed he had only played for five months, but did not know about the en passant rule. When Broncano asked about his chances of winning, Fausti quipped with a grin, "None, but I think you believe you can win!"
Renowned Spanish journalist Federico Marin Bellon has covered Oro extensively on his chess website Damas y Reyes, and reported that "Faustino was engaging and enjoyed himself from the very first moment." He added, "By now, it seems clear that Faustino is a blessing for chess, even if some struggle to grasp his popularity."
New Sponsorship Deal Announced
Meanwhile, Oro also picked up a sponsor deal with MyInvestor, a neobank for investment solutions. "I am very happy that MyInvestor has placed its trust in me. Their support will help me continue training and growing to compete at the highest international level from Spain," Fausti said in a statement shared with Damas y Reyes.
Details of the agreement have not been disclosed, but MyInvestor shared the following statement: "The collaboration with Faustino Oro is part of the neobank's commitment to fostering talent and financial education from an early age."
The support is welcome for the family, who have previously been open about their financial struggles following their move from Argentina to Europe. The future looks bright for young Faustino.
