A former world chess champion challenges Faustino Oro, who has already reached the top 20 blitz of Chess.com, to a head-to-head match.

Each level unlocked by Faustino Oro It is celebrated like a championship in the world of chess. Not only for fans and Argentine and Latin American teachers but for everyone who loves the “science-game” and watches with amazement the feats achieved by the 10 year old prodigy who learned about chess during a pandemic and in four years became the youngest international master in history.

Well, like the life of Faust It’s lightning, over the weekend it generated another storm in his stratospheric rise. And for two extraordinary reasons at such a young age. This Sunday got into the top 20 of the rhythm ranking blitz of Chess.comthe chess platform online most important in the world, where He never gets tired of beating great masters that fall like flies. And hours later the unthinkable happened: the former world champion Vladimir Kraminik challenged him to play head-to-head in London with all expenses paid.

You have to go in parts to understand everything that Faustino Oro, who is 10 years, 9 months and one day old, experiences. You must never lose sight of his age to admire each of his accomplished goals, taking into account that is a digital nativewho loves to play online and that most of his classes with trainers are carried out virtually. Even more so because since December she has resided with mother Romina and father Alejandro in Badalona, ​​Spain.

In face-to-face games, on the board, the rhythm blitz or “lightning” indicates that each chess player has 3 minutes on the clock, with an increment of two seconds for each move they make.

But in Chess.com they also take into account, for example, a rhythm of 3 plus 1, as happens in the Titled Tuesdays, tournaments in which only teachers with some degree can participate and that are played every Tuesday at 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. in Argentina; and a rhythm of 3 to finish (that is, without an increase to move), as is played every Wednesday in the Arena Kingsa format in which each chess player has two hours to play uninterruptedly.

The evolution of Faust in these rhythms it has been such that, for example, he already has a son to the American Hikaru Nakamura, number two in the world ranking, whom he has beaten repeatedly in recent weeks. In fact, he is precisely the main streamer of chess who commands the Chess.com ranking with a rating of 3,262 points and 77.6 percent of victories: 29,793, against 3,756 draws and 4,828 losses.

In that ranking, the second is the Norwegian Magnus Carlsen -king of this era against whom Faustino won a game at one minute-, the third is the American Fabiano Caruana (number 3 in the world), the fourth is the Indian Nihal Sarin (46°), the fifth is the French Alireza Firouzja (15th), Iranian by birth, the seventh is the American Hans Niemann (30°), the eighth is the Indian Arjun Erigation (4th), the tenth is the American Wesley So (9th), the thirteenth is the French Maxime Vachier-Lagrave (25th) and the seventeenth is the American Samuel Sevian (40°).

With his triumphs in recent months, Faustino Oro crossed the barrier of 3,100 points and on Sunday he placed twentieth, surrounded by those great teachers. Obviously it will fluctuate daily, but the achievement in itself is unimaginable for a 10-year-old kid.

To celebrate such a barrier overcome, the same Chess.com site posted on the social network blitz. And then a series of peculiar events occurred, involving two Russians: Ian Nepomniachtchitwo-time world title finalist, and former world champion Vladimir Kramnik.

“I’m sure it will reach 3,200 next week and 3,300 in the next month,” he posted. Right with a smiley face emoji, in what looked like a chicane.

And Kramnik replied: “It is not impossible. At least the rate of improvement suggests that it is quite realistic. Taking into account the latest performances and the level of play, he is already a player of more than 2,600 (ELO). At age 10! Never seen in history, but it’s probably just the beginning”.

The former world champion reviewed the latest results of Faust at pace blitz before Nakamura and other great masters and declared: “The sky is the limit”.

But the history does not finish here. What’s more, it gets a little cloudy, because Kramnik is a regular serial denouncer of Chess.com users who raise his ratings to astonishing levels in a short time. Obviously, he alludes explicitly or implicitly to the fact that they do with trap by the help of computer modules.

Do you suggest that Faust does he cheat? Never of the nevers. What’s more, anyone can see the Argentine play online on his YouTube channel (@Faustichess), which already has 11,200 followers, with the regulatory security measures: a camera recording him from the front and another from behind, to prove that he is alone in front of the monitor, without any help. In fact, all great teachers do that.

The strange thing is that Kramnik let go of his chain a little on his @Vbkramnik account. “It seems that Faustino is no longer (much, at least) weaker than me in blitz. It’s probably even stronger”.

And then he proposed a challenge that would be historic: “I would love to play a game with him.” blitz on the board in August. I will play about 12 games with Faustino. It would be a great promotion for him and audiences around the world would love it. OK?”.

Kramnik continued with his proposal: “All your travel and accommodation expenses will be covered. The playing conditions will be fair and equal. The event will be quite historic. It seems like a great opportunity for Faustino. Please let me know his decision as soon as possible.”

The parents of Faust They obviously found out publicly about this proposal. And then? There will be news in a short time. To wait.