Magnus Carlsen is a brand in the world of chess and is easily one of the top players of all time. The Norwegian chess champion is not just a Grandmaster; he's a phenomenon, a champion who has redefined the game. Dominating the chess world, Carlsen's achievements have been nothing short of extraordinary. However, the world champion recently faced a staggering defeat at the hands of a 10-year-old boy, reported by Indy100.
Image source: Getty images | Photo by Dean Mouhtaropoulos
It took Faustino Oro 38 seconds to score a sensational victory against chess Grandmaster Magnus Carlsen. The match was streamed live on the 10-year-old's YouTube channel (@FaustiChess - Faustino Oro). Before beating Carlsen, the young Argentinian has also tasted success in beating reputed world-class players as he has achieved wins over other Grandmasters like Daniel Naroditsky and Hikaru Nakamura.
Image source: YouTube | @FaustiChess - Faustino Oro
The 10-year-old, who hails from Argentina, took on the five-time world champion in a Bullet game on Saturday (March 23) and clinched the spectacular triumph over the 33-year-old to stun the chess community.
Carlsen's achievements include bagging the World Chess Champion title in 2013 in a game that saw him defeat the legendary Viswanathan Anand. Since then, he's successfully defended his title a staggering five times and has shown how consistency and perseverance play a big role in any sport.
Soon after the victory, Oro received plenty of praise from the chess community with many hailing the young boy for his exceptional talent, but the intense hype surrounding him has been criticized by Grandmaster Anish Giri, who seemed rather unimpressed by the skills of the Argentinian prodigy. According to Daily Star, the Dutch chess master said, "What’s all the hype, Carlsen would still probably beat him in a long classical chess match, especially if it’s 14 or 16 games." Carlsen, a chess prodigy, has been the world number one for almost 13 years and has been known to enjoy chess clashes with those who aren't noted players.
Image Source - Russian-born Dutch chess grandmaster Anish Giri poses for the photographer at Paseo de Recoletos during the second edition of the 'Chess Sanfermines' on July 3, 2022 in Madrid, Spain. (Photo by Miguel Pereira/Getty Images)
Setting aside the criticism, the internet has jumped on the Oro hype train with the online community calling him, "Messi of Chess." This extravagant title largely stems from his Argentinian background, drawing comparisons to Messi for his prodigious abilities. This famous win over Carlsen also raises questions about the future of the Oro, who could soon contend for the title of world champion if he hones his skills in the near future.
Moving on, former world champion Magnus Carlsen has decided to expand the Freestyle Chess G.O.A.T. Challenge as he will continue this unique chess event into a ‘tour format’ with India being chosen as its first destination. The Freestyle Chess Grand Slam Tour is slated to start in India in November this year with a whopping cash prize of $500,000 for the Indian leg of the tour.