In this post‑game interview, 12‑year‑old Grandmaster Faustino Oro walks through his third‑round win at the Chess Olympiad, detailing his opening choice of the Sicilian Kan with Bishop d3, the ensuing middlegame tactics—including a queen‑side attack, a bishop pin on the opponent’s king, and a critical f5 breakthrough—and the endgame conversion that led to a forced mate. He explains the strategic purpose behind each move, such as provoking …h6 to restrict castling, using Rook hf1 to prepare f5, and trading queens to neutralise counterplay. Oro also reflects on the personal significance of representing Argentina on board 1 in his first Olympiad, expressing pride and excitement. The interview blends technical analysis with personal commentary, showcasing his deep calculation ability and composure at a very young age.
Pleasure to be joined here by Faustino Oro. Faustino, third round at the Olympia today and a win. Tell us a bit about the game.
Yeah, well, I'm really happy because, well, today I believe I played a good game, I believe, and well, I won, and also the team is doing good, so I'm really happy. Well, he played the Sicilian Kan variation. I played with Bishop d3, which is, well, one of the 20 possible lines maybe. So yeah, I played the Kan with Bishop d3. Which is pretty interesting. I mean, it's one of the 20 possible variations maybe of the Kan. I mean, um, and he played Bishop c5, Knight b3, Bishop a7, which is, uh, well, interesting. I mean, putting the bishop in that diagonal. And then I play Queen g4, attacking Queen g7. No, Knight f6. And then I play Queen g3, because if Queen g7, he has like Rook g8, Queen h6, Bishop f2, and I can't take on f2 because Knight g4 fork and he wins my queen. So that is not good. Um, so now Knight f6, Queen g3. He played d6, which, well, is logical. Knight c3, Knight c6, they're all pretty normal, let's say. And there I play Bishop g5, pinning the knight on f6. He played h6, and I played Bishop d2 back. Why I played this Bishop g5? Because then he can't castle easily because I have Bishop h6 with the pin on, well, with the Queen on g3 and King on g8. So that's why I provoked that h6 move. So yeah, h6 move. Bishop d2. There he played knight e5, which was this idea probably to take the bishop at some point. And I played bishop e2 because I don't want to be in my pair of bishops. And there he played b5, which, well, to play b4 is always logical in the Sicilians. I played f4, and there he played knight g6. Other variation was knight c4 that I was calculating in the game, but I saw e5, d5, fe5, and I'm attacking the knight. Knight moves, queen g7 and he doesn't have Rook g8, it's winning. So I thought Knight d2 maybe for him, um, Knight d2, b4, but I mean, I thought that that will be good for White, of course. So, so I believe Knight c4 was not a good move. Um, there possibly it was b4, but I mean, yeah, f takes c5, b takes c3, even Queen c3 is good for White, Bishop c3. I mean, that is not possible. So yeah, f4, Knight g6 was, I believe, only move for me. Um, Um, and there against Knight c6, I played, um, ah, I played a3 stopping b4 because my knight defends the pawn, so I don't want to— well, I don't want the pawn to kick my knight. Yeah, so a3. There he played castle, long castle. Of course I can't castle short, so I need to castle long. Um, and there he played Queen c7, which, well, the queen there is nice, stops c5 also. So has sense. Um, and there I played Queen c7. I played Rook hf1, which, well, the idea is obviously to play f5, and then if knight moves, Bishop h6. So Rook hf1, he played Bishop b7 attacking Knight d4 because it's f5, he has Knight d4, Knight d4, Bishop b4, and I can take my knight— his knight because Queen c2 checkmate. Yeah, so, so f5 was not possible. That's why I played Bishop d3 to defend the pawn and prepare some f5. And I guess Bishop d3, he played, uh, he played d5, which was interesting. I mean, I didn't see more moves than that because he plays like a move like King h8 to stop f5 and Bishop h6. I mean, his position is sad. I mean, have more space, the pieces are bad for Knight g6. I mean, that's why he played d5, which, which is interesting because it stops f5 because there he trades queens and that's fine for him. So d5, I played e5. Well, King in the 9, Knight d4, Bishop b4, d5. Under Bishop e3, trying to trade my bad bishop, let's say, to his good bishop on a7. And well, trying to change his pair of bishops also. Bishop e3, he played Rook fc8, Bishop a7, Rook a7, Rook f2, defending the checkmate on c2, which, well, the knight I can't move it. I mean, I need to defend that checkmate. Rook f2, he played Knight d7 to play Knight d5 or Knight d5. I mean, the knight on g6 was doing nothing, so Knight d7, Queen e3, attacking I mean, Bishop d5, I mean, I didn't like it, but I mean, the other move was Rook a8. I don't know if Bishop d5 is bad, but I mean, the other move was Rook a8, of course. I went Knight d4 and played that position. I mean, I thought I was in a good position. I mean, it was not clear, of course, because some counterplay would attack the bishop. I mean, you know, but I mean, I am a pawn up. If he doesn't see a way to kind of attack or find the compensation, I am a pawn up. So, so I was happy. So yeah, Queen d2, he played Bishop d5, Knight b5, and there he took with the knight because if he takes with the pawn, I mean, I have f5 and he has bad structure. Well, no, not bad structure. I mean, I'm playing f6 and crushing. I mean, bad structure or not, but I mean, I'm playing f6 and it's kind of f5. He can't take on e5 because the rook on a7 is hanging. So I mean, he couldn't take with the pawn. I mean, f5, I believe it's crushing. f6, coming e6 also. I mean, bad position for him. So against f— no, against Knight d5, he played Knight d5, Queen e4, and well, then I am a pawn up. Yeah, so he played b4 trying to, uh, but trying to get some counterplay because if not he's a pawn down, of course. Uh, b4, I played a4. I mean, I, I want to close the position. I don't want to take on b4 because Rook b7, he starts like kind of attacking a bit. So I played a4, Queen c6, a5, and there he played, um, he played Rook ac7, bringing the rook to the game a bit, pressing c2. And then I played f5.
Yeah.
a nice idea because I want to play fc6 and weaken a bit his structure, yeah, and open his king, which, well, then after fc6, his king will not be safe, I mean. So f5, trying to, well, to kick the support of the knight on d5, the pawn on e6. Yes, so f5, he played queen a4, trying to play queen b3, but then I played f takes c6 because I saw if Queen b3, he takes f7 check. Only move King f8 because if Rook f7, Rook f7, King f7, Queen f5, and I win the rook. So that is not good. Um, so ef7, King f8, Rook d5. He needs to play Rook c2, Rook c2, Rook c2, Queen c2, Queen d5. And then I thought, I mean, I'm a— I'm in a queenside game, 2 pawns up. I mean, I should be winning. I mean, I didn't see it clear clear, but I mean, should be winning. Yeah, 2 pawns up in a queen endgame. Um, so, so yes, he played, um No, so he took on e6. Yeah, f takes e6, and then King b1 moving away from the pin on my king. And Rook c4 he played, kicking my queen off a bit, attacking my queen. And I play Rook d4 trying to trade rooks. And there, and then, and then I believe he blundered. He played Rook c6. I mean, I'm not gonna say blunder, but probably he should play maybe Queen b5 or Rook d4 and continue playing. I mean, he's a bit worse. I don't know, worse, much worse, I don't know. But I mean, he's a pawn down. Yeah, but well, he can play Play on. Um, but yeah, he played Rook 4 c6 under Queen g6, and then he played Queen b5, Rook f7, and he can't stop the mate. Queen f1 he can't play because my Rook goes on f7, well, stopping that move. And yeah, after Rook f7 mate, some stop on g7, and he resigned. I mean, instead of Queen b5, he's losing because I played Rook f7, Rook g4 is passing. I mean, Rook 8 c7, I have even Queen e8, Rook f8, and Rook h8 mate. I mean, he's losing there. So, so yeah, I'm really happy with the game in general.
That's amazing, uh, like a great explanation of the game. And how was— and how does it feel to, you know, play on board 1, of course, and with your Argentine teammates? How is the team dynamics, if you can tell us a bit?
Yeah, I mean, of course I am really happy to represent Argentina. Of course, for me it's an honor, my first Olympia also. Um, of course playing on board 1 is really special. I mean, with 12 years old, first Olympia, playing on first board, for sure it's really special. I mean, it's not the same to play on first board than second board. I mean, so yeah, I'm really happy to represent Argentina and playing on board 1 is, is Thank you.
Thank you so much, Faustino, for your time. Best wishes to you and Team Argentina for this Olympiad.
