Faustino Oro looking for first GM norm in Punta del Este

by Carlos Alberto Colodro
3/14/2025 – From 14 to 20 March, the Hotel del Lago hosts the Punta del Este Masters, a closed double round-robin tournament bringing together four Grandmasters and two International Masters from Spanish-speaking countries. Among them, the young Argentinean Faustino Oro, aged 11, and the Mexican Sion Galaviz, aged 19, will try to score the necessary points to obtain GM status. The event is part of the Punta del Este International Chess Festival, which will include open tournaments and promotional activities. | Photo: David Llada
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Oro and Galaviz need 6½/10 for GM norm

The Punta del Este Masters tournament is taking place from 14 to 20 March at the Hotel del Lago, as part of the Punta del Este International Chess Festival in Uruguat. It is a closed double round-robin tournament that brings together six players: four Grandmasters (GM) and two International Masters (IM), all of them representing Spanish-speaking countries.

Argentinian IM Faustino Oro, 11, and Mexican IM Sion Galaviz, 19, will be aiming for the GM norm, which requires reaching 6½ points in 10 games. For Oro, who last year became the youngest-ever International Master, this would be his first GM norm. Galaviz, meanwhile, will be aiming for his third and final norm, which would allow him to complete the requirements for the Grandmaster title.

The other four participants in the tournament are players with extensive international chess careers. Representing Argentina will be GMs Sandro Mareco and Diego Flores, both with experience in high-level competitions. Also participating will be Spanish GM José Pepe Cuenca, known not only as a player but also for his activity as a chess commentator. The list is completed by the Uruguayan GM Andrés Rodríguez, a chess reference in his country.

The games will be played at a classical pace, with double-round matches scheduled for Saturday 15, Monday 17 and Wednesday 19 March. The final round will be played on Thursday 20 March at 17:00 local time. The arbiter of the tournament is Leandro Plotinsky, president of the Torre Blanca Chess Circle of Buenos Aires.

In addition to the Masters tournament, the Punta del Este International Chess Festival features other activities, such as open blitz and rapid tournaments, in which players of different levels will be able to participate. There will also be a simultaneous exhibition by Faustino Oro, which will allow the public to witness the young master's talent up close.

Magistral de Ajedrez Punta del Este 2025

All games

Standings

Schedule

Round Date Time
1 2025/03/14 22:00 CET
2 2025/03/15 15:00
3 2025/03/15 22:00
4 2025/03/16 22:00
5 2025/03/17 15:00
6 2025/03/17 22:00
7 2025/03/18 22:00
8 2025/03/19 15:00
9 2025/03/19 22:00
10 2025/03/20 22:00

Links

Carlos Colodro is a Hispanic Philologist from Bolivia. He works as a freelance translator and writer since 2012. A lot of his work is done in chess-related texts, as the game is one of his biggest interests, along with literature and music.