6/26/2026 – Argentine prodigy Faustino Oro, 12, travelled to his rival José Martínez's home city, Lima, and beat him at his own game - speed chess. Faustino and José played a six-game match: two rapid encounters and four blitz game. The final score was 4-2 Oro's favour. | Photo: ChessBase India / Amruta Mokal
new: Fritz 20
Your personal chess trainer. Your toughest opponent. Your strongest ally. FRITZ 20 is more than just a chess engine – it is a training revolution for ambitious players and professionals. Whether you are taking your first steps into the world of serious chess training, or already playing at tournament level, FRITZ 20 will help you train more efficiently, intelligently and individually than ever before.
YOUR PERSONAL CHESS COACH - Whether you’re taking your first steps into the world of club chess, or already playing at a tournament level: with FRITZ, you can train more efficiently, intelligently and with a more personalised approach than ever before. FRITZ is more than just a chess engine – it’s a training revolution! Whether you’re taking your first steps into the world of club chess, or already playing at a tournament level: with FRITZ, you can train more efficiently, intelligently and with a more personalised approach than ever before.
EXPAND YOUR CHESS HORIZONS
Your entry into the great world of ChessBase with ChessBase Program '26, Big Database, CBM and Premium Account.
€249.90
12-year-old prodigy continues to impress
How strong is 12-year-old Faustino Oro really? Here is one answer. Put him across the board from a battle-hardened grandmaster - a World Cup giant-killer, a man feared on every online speed server in the world - and watch what happens. Oro played a six-game match against GM José Martínez Alcántara in Lima and won it 4-2. Let that sink in.
The match was held on 25 June as the centrepiece of the WR Chess Marathon Perú 2026, organized by WR Chess in association with the Peruvian Chess Federation. The contenders contested two games of rapid chess (15 minutes, no increment) followed by four games of blitz (3 minutes, no increment), with a total prize fund of US$10,000 on the line.
In this Fritztrainer: “Attack like a Super GM” with Gukesh we touch upon all aspects of his play, with special emphasis on how you can become a better attacking player.
The opening ceremony of the 67-hour Chess Marathon
The two protagonists
The Messi of Chess - 12-year-old Faustino Oro | Photo: Amruta Mokal
If you follow chess at all, you already know the name Faustino Oro. The Argentine has been called "the Messi of chess". At the age of 12, he became the second-youngest grandmaster in the history of the game. He first burst into the global consciousness when he defeated Magnus Carlsen in an online bullet game in 2024 - a result that turned a child into a worldwide sensation overnight. Since then, every Oro appearance has carried a simple question with it: just how good is this kid going to be?
Is this watch allowed? José Martínez asks the arbiter | Photo: Amruta Mokal
On the other side sat a man who knows exactly what it takes to compete at the very top. José Martínez, known online to millions simply as "Jospem", was born in Lima - this was his city, his crowd, his backyard. Though he has represented the Mexican federation since 2024, his roots are Peruvian. Jospem is one of the most respected speed players on the planet: a fixture near the top of chess.com's Titled Tuesday events, and a grandmaster who at the 2025 World Cup stunned the chess world by knocking out super-GM Nodirbek Abdusattorov. In faster time controls, especially, he is exactly the kind of opponent you do not want to face. He is, by reputation, one of Latin America's strongest and most feared speed players.
Master your middlegame with the complete strategy series – now available as a bundle at a reduced price. Take your chance to save and improve! Master your middlegame with the complete strategy series – now available as a bundle at a reduced price. Take your chance to save and improve!
Faustino Oro and José Martínez | Photo: Amruta Mokal
The match could hardly have begun worse for Faustino. In the first rapid game, Jospem produced a calm, controlled, positionally crushing game. He outplayed the youngster, and for a moment the pre-match doubts looked well-founded. Could a 12-year-old really hold off a player of this calibre over six games?
Faustino's response told you everything about his temperament. In the second rapid game he dug in, navigated the complications, and outplayed José under time pressure. The score was level at 1-1, and now came the four blitz games that would decide everything.
In the blitz section, Faustino was an absolute beast. Game after game, he held the edge on the clock - the very weapon Jospem is famous for wielding against others. The youngster won two of the four blitz games and drew the other two, conceding nothing and never letting his opponent back into the match.
Víctor Pimentel, the President of the Peruvian Chess Federation, greets Faustino Oro | Photo: Amruta Mokal
Faustino got a winning position, but Jose Martinez fought back. In fact, in the final position, Martínez was very close to winning, but had no time and Faustino got the full point. The score was 2-1 in Faustino's favour.
Both players missed chances to get a big advantage in the second blitz game. Faustino did not find the move 27...axb3 while Martínez missed the 28.Nc7 fork. The score was now 2½-1½ in Faustino's favour.
The third blitz encounter was Faustino's best game. He played flawlessly and finished the game off with the precision that we have now grown accustomed from him. With this win, Faustino closed the match with a 3½-1½ score.
The fourth blitz game would not affect the result, but it was so nice to see Fausti's fighting spirit. In fact, Josó offered to repeat the position at some point. But Faustino fought on. The game eventually ended in a draw, but it showed that Faustino wanted to just fight! Here's a small tactic from this game which didn't happen, but one that I liked a lot.
The scoreboard read 4-2 in favour of Faustino Oro. The 12-year-old had defeated a very strong opponent. Absolutely amazing!
Instead of forcing you to memorise endless lines, Raja focuses on clear plans, typical ideas, and attacking motifs that you can apply in your own games without delay. A short, focused, and practical repertoire. Grandmaster Harshit Raja, India’s 69th GM, has created a practical and powerful 1.e4 repertoire - perfect for players who want to play aggressively without drowning in opening theory. Whether you’re playing online or over-the-board, this course gives you solid attacking weapons that are easy to learn, fun to play, and difficult for opponents to face.
Free sample video: Introduction
Free sample video: Scandinavian Defence
The live commentary on the event was provided by two amazing players - GM Leinier Domínguez and GM Antoaneta Stefanova | Photo: Amruta Mokal
The entire livestream of the match on the WR Chess channel
What it means
The summary of the entire match
This result is one more data point in a growing pile, all pointing the same direction: this boy will be very, very good. If he can do this at 12, the imagination runs a little wild thinking about what the years ahead hold.
For his efforts, Faustino returned home US$6,000 richer, while José Martínez took US$4,000 for the runner-up share of the purse. The whole event was a showcase for chess in the region, and a reminder that Latin America is producing - and attracting - some of the most exciting talent in the world right now.
In this video course, experts including Dorian Rogozenco, Mihail Marin, Karsten Müller and Oliver Reeh, examine the games of Boris Spassky. Let them show you which openings Spassky chose to play, where his strength in middlegames were and much more.
In his post-match interview for ChessBase India, Faustino was refreshingly honest about how the match had felt from the inside - and about that shaky start. "After losing the first game, I was feeling very angry", he admitted. "I played slow and bad - it was like a garbage game. But then I just tried to forget it and play my best chess in the second one". That second-game victory, he said, was the moment the match turned: once he had his first win on the board, "you feel more confident, for sure".
Asked what comes next now that he obtained the grandmaster title - the 12-year-old already had his sights set higher. "Now it's time to keep improving, training and maybe get to 2600. That's one of my goals", he said. "And maybe get to number one in Argentina's ranking". He is also looking forward to representing Argentina at the upcoming Olympiad. "Keep improving, training and enjoying, for sure".
This compact course is designed specifically for practical play. Instead of overwhelming you with endless theory, it focuses on the critical lines, typical plans, and recurring tactical ideas. Looking for an opening that gets your opponents thinking on move one? Grandmaster Andy Woodward has relied on 1.b3 for years in blitz and bullet, using it to defeat strong masters and grandmasters who underestimated its hidden venom. While many players dismiss the opening as harmless, they often find themselves caught in unfamiliar positions, tactical traps, and uncomfortable middlegames. This compact course is designed specifically for practical play. Instead of overwhelming you with endless theory, it focuses on the critical lines, typical plans, and recurring tactical ideas that matter most when the clock is ticking.
Free video sample: Introduction
Free video sample: King's Indian Setup
Sagar ShahSagar is an International Master from India with two GM norms. He loves to cover chess tournaments, as that helps him understand and improve at the game he loves so much. He is the co-founder and CEO of ChessBase India, the biggest chess news portal in the country. His YouTube channel has over a million subscribers, and to date close to a billion views. ChessBase India is the sole distributor of ChessBase products in India and seven adjoining countries, where the software is available at a 60% discount. compared to International prices.
6/26/2026 – Wadim Rosenstein has announced that he will run for President of FIDE. The German entrepreneur, founder of WR Chess, has become involved in elite events, team competitions and club chess in recent years. His candidacy follows a period in which he has built a profile as a sponsor, organiser and promoter of the game. | Photo: Wadim Rosenstein's X account
6/25/2026 – From 25 to 28 June 2026, the Sheraton in Lima, Peru becomes the stage for one of the most unusual chess festivals of the year. Eight tournaments, elite simultaneous exhibitions, a top showdown, US$100,000 prize fund and a clock that essentially never stops for four days and nights for chess. Here is everything you need to know about the World Record Chess Marathon.
King’s Indian fans who choose the Mar del Plata attack (7...Nc6) against White’s classical system (1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.Nf3 0-0 6.Be2 e5 7.0-0) usually aim for a complex position with mutual attacks on open wings, requiring long-term strategic planning and tactical sharpness in critical moments. Computers often do not know how to handle the arising complex strategic positions, which suits players who like to think on their own instead of memorizing long variations. However, the fashionable Bayonet Attack (9.b4) interferes with Black’s ideas. After Black’s main move 9...Nh5 the positions opens, the lines get forced and computer analysis is important again. But this DVD offers an antidote against White’s Bayonet Attack, namely 9...a5! This move leads to sound positions with very few concrete lines, in which the focus is on strategy not on tactics. Objectively chances are equal but if Black knows what to do things might quickly become dangerous for White.
YOUR PERSONAL CHESS COACH - Whether you’re taking your first steps into the world of club chess, or already playing at a tournament level: with FRITZ, you can train more efficiently, intelligently and with a more personalised approach than ever before.
“Mate is great!” – Tactical training with Oliver Reeh, “The 8th rank” – Andy Woodward analyses his game against Magnus Carlsen from TePe Sigeman 2026, “A modern Nimzo-Indian” – Andrei Volokitin introduces readers to "his" system and much more!
Chess is a concrete game. There is no way around training your calculation skills. Improve your visualization, pattern recognition and learn calculation techniques such as reciprocal thinking with this course.
This compact course is designed specifically for practical play. Instead of overwhelming you with endless theory, it focuses on the critical lines, typical plans, and recurring tactical ideas.
Slav and Semi-Slav Powerbase 2026 is a database and contains a total of 11 766 games from Mega 2026 or the Correspondence Database 2026, of which 1136 are annotated.
For the Slav and Semi-Slav Powerbook 2026 the ratings average was set again at 2400. 2.24 million games from the engine room of playchess.com met this threshold, to which were added over 130 000 games played by humans.
In this volume, we dive into core aspects of chess technique. Smyslov taught the principle of tactical hierarchy, “checks, double attacks, and unprotected pieces”, and Mikhalchishin demonstrates how this method of calculation is vital.
€34.90
We use cookies and comparable technologies to provide certain functions, to improve the user experience and to offer interest-oriented content. Depending on their intended use, analysis cookies and marketing cookies may be used in addition to technically required cookies. Here you can make detailed settings or revoke your consent (if necessary partially) with effect for the future. Further information can be found in our data protection declaration.
Pop-up for detailed settings
We use cookies and comparable technologies to provide certain functions, to improve the user experience and to offer interest-oriented content. Depending on their intended use, cookies may be used in addition to technically required cookies, analysis cookies and marketing cookies. You can decide which cookies to use by selecting the appropriate options below. Please note that your selection may affect the functionality of the service. Further information can be found in our privacy policy.
Technically required cookies
Technically required cookies: so that you can navigate and use the basic functions and store preferences.
Analysis Cookies
To help us determine how visitors interact with our website to improve the user experience.
Marketing-Cookies
To help us offer and evaluate relevant content and interesting and appropriate advertisement.
