Master vs Pupil: GothamChess Risks Reputation Against Boy Wonder Fausti Oro
It’s the one-on-one showdown between “the internet’s chess teacher” and one of the rising stars of the game known in his homeland as the “Lionel Messi of chess”.
Can Brooklyn-born IM Levy Rozman, aka GothamChess, survive with his reputation intact against the formidable FM Faustino Oro?
Argentina's 2013-born golden boy has been tearing it up this year, becoming the youngest player ever to achieve a 2300 FIDE rating and scooping his first international master norm.
In August, Oro crossed 2900 for the first time in Chess.com blitz. The rise of this young prodigy has been frightening!
He is also now a ChessKid ambassador, even has his own show on the ChessKid channel broadcast from Argentina every Friday.
Rozman noticed Oro eight months ago, here's what he said:
There is a 9 year old boy from Argentina named Faustino Oro. He is 2800 on https://t.co/vOomBHOxzv. And he is the youngest player to ever reach 2200 elo.
— GothamChess (@GothamChess) March 26, 2023
The future Messi of chess?
Later this month, Faustino will play on the world stage, competing in the World Rapid & Blitz Championships in Samarkand, Uzbekistan. All this from a kid who got into chess because his father didn't want him kicking a ball inside their home during lockdown.
But everyone in chess knows Rozman is no pushover. The hugely-popular streamer and author of the newly-minted New York Times bestseller How to Win At Chess: The Ultimate Guide for Beginners and Beyond knows every trick in the book, literally.
He himself has had an incredible year, not only releasing his first book but crossing the four-million mark in terms of YouTube subscribers and the honor of being named in the Forbes 30 Under 30 list.
On December 18, I am battling against Faustino Oro, the Messi of Chess.
— GothamChess (@GothamChess) December 1, 2023
Argentina, come support your boy!
MUCHACHOOOOOOOOOOS 🇦🇷 pic.twitter.com/XxlWyrGxOT
Monday's event is the final part of the ChessKid Stars and Streamers series which has seen two team matches so far.
Rozman has been holding his own in the series, going 6-2 against his ChessKid opponents.
But this is Oro’s first foray into the action on behalf of the ChessKid Stars. Can the 10-year-old topple Rozman?
IM Mike Klein, aka FunMasterMike, said: "The largest chess content creator versus the boy-wonder who set an all-time age record in chess? I can't imagine a more intriguing matchup.
"Their FIDE ratings are about the same and no one seems to know who is the favorite. This might go down as the most fun match I'll ever have the chance to commentate on."
Be sure to join IM Mike Klein, aka FunMasterMike, and WGM Keti Tsatsalashvili on Twitch.tv/chesskid or Chess.com/tv for this exciting event! We'll also have Spanish language coverage on Twitch.tv/chesskidespanol and Chess.com/es/tv!
