FIDE World Cup: 12-year-old IM Faustino Oro steals the show in Goa tiebreaks
The tiebreak day at the FIDE World Cup in Goa was full of drama, speed, and surprises. Rapid and blitz games tested not just chess skills but nerves, focus, and emotional control.
In rapid games, players must think fast yet carefully — balancing planning with time pressure. Blitz, however, is pure instinct. Every second counts, and only those with calm minds can thrive.
Few players showed this better than 12-year-old Argentinian IM Faustino Oro. Known for his online wins against Magnus Carlsen and Hikaru Nakamura, Oro stunned everyone by defeating experienced GM Ante Brkic in the blitz tiebreaks. The young prodigy showed nerves of steel and maturity beyond his years.
The round began with a ceremonial opening by Sanjiv M. Gadkar IAS, Secretary Protocol, Government of Goa. Tomorrow, the Chief Minister of Goa is expected to make the honorary first move for World Champion Gukesh D. — a special moment for Indian chess fans.
Rapid rounds: Surprises and creative systems
Out of twenty matches, fourteen were decided in the first two rapid games. Most rating favorites advanced, though several had to fight hard.
Many players used flexible openings like the London, Colle, and Anti-Sicilian — less theoretical but ideal for quick time controls. With Round 2 set to begin, all fifty seeds are now ready to join the action.
Early qualifiers shine
The first to qualify was GM Sunilduth Lyna Narayanan of India, who cleanly beat IM Steven Rojas Salas (Peru) 2-0. After a long 52-move first game, Narayanan sealed the match with a 22-move miniature.
He credited his warm-up of over 50 online bullet games for staying sharp:
“I play a lot of bullet to get in shape. I play fast and check lines later,” said Narayanan.
Other 2-0 winners included:
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GM Jorge Cori (Peru) vs. IM Aldiyar Ansat (Kazakhstan)
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GM Temur Kuybokarov (Australia) vs. GM Jan Subelj (Slovenia) — ending with a beautiful checkmate combination
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GM Tin Jingyao (Singapore) vs. IM Jegor Lashkin (Moldova)
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GM Ghosh Diptayan (India) vs. GM Peng Xiongjian (China)
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IM Bojan Maksimovic (Bosnia) vs. GM Emre Can (Turkey)
Close calls and young talent
Eight matches ended 1.5–0.5. The highlight came from FM Kavin Mohan (Malaysia, age 14), who drew both classical games against GM Robert Hovhannisyan before narrowly losing in rapid — a remarkable effort.
GM Alisher Suleymenov and GM Denis Makhnev of Kazakhstan also advanced after tough battles.
10+10 Rapids and blitz deciders
Only one match in the 10+10 rapid section was decided early. IM Aronyak Ghosh (India) defeated GM Mateusz Bartel (Poland) 2-0 after Bartel blundered with 20.Qf3?? Nh4!, losing instantly.
Then came the blitz tiebreaks — pure adrenaline!
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IM Faustino Oro (Argentina, 12) won both blitz games to qualify for Round 2. “I’m so happy to have qualified. It’s been a very tough match,” said Oro with a big smile.
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GM Daniil Yuffa (Spain) survived a tense marathon against IM Shiyam Thavandiran (Canada).
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GM Max Warmerdam (Netherlands) edged GM Lalit Babu M R (India) in a wild back-and-forth match.
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GM Kazybek Nogerbek (Kazakhstan) and GM Ahmed Adly (Egypt) also won dramatic blitz duels.
What’s next
The first day of tiebreaks had it all — blunders, brilliance, and brave young stars. With the top 50 seeds joining from tomorrow, Round 2 promises to be even more exciting.
Game 1 of Round 2 begins on November 4 at 3 PM IST. Fans can watch live on FIDE’s YouTube channel with expert commentary by GMs Evgenij Miroshnichenko and Jan Gustafsson, or grab tickets to watch it live in Goa.
Photos: Michal Walusza, Eteri Kublashvili, FIDE_Chess
Source: FIDE CHESS NEWS
