‘Messi of Chess’ graces Sharjah Masters, Giri and Indjic share 4th round lead

The eighth edition of the Sharjah Masters International Chess Championship, organised by the Sharjah Cultural and Chess Club under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan Bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah, welcomes Argentine chess prodigy Oro Faustino — widely known as the ‘Messi of Chess’ — among its distinguished participants.

At just 12 years old, Faustino became the youngest player in history to surpass the 2300 Elo rating mark, breaking the previous record held by Uzbekistan’s Javokhir Sindarov by seven months.

Faustino, who is making his first appearance in the championship, has remained unbeaten so far, scoring one win and three draws.

He expressed his delight at participating in such a prestigious event, emphasizing that he is aiming for a new milestone and hoping to achieve an international title.

He noted that the “Messi” nickname serves as a great source of motivation, and he is always pleased when people draw parallels between him and Argentina’s football legend Lionel Messi.

“I follow football in Argentina and I believe Messi is the greatest player in its history,” he said. “But I don’t have much time to attend matches due to my chess training and academic studies.”

Faustino is scheduled to travel to Italy on June 1 to take part in a friendly match against Indian legend Viswanathan Anand, the youngest world titleholder in chess history.

The match will be held on the sidelines of the “Chess Routes” exhibition, which features 40 rare and original chess sets from Asia and Europe.

Meanwhile, the lead in the Sharjah Masters shifted following the conclusion of the fourth round, with Dutch Grandmaster Anish Giri and Serbian Grandmaster Alexsandar Indjic sharing the top spot with 3.5 points each.

Ten players are tied for third place with 3 points. UAE star Salem Abdulrahman bounced back with a win over Uzbekistan’s Mukhiddin Madaminov to raise his tally to 2.5 points.

The fourth round of the championship was ceremonially opened on the top board of both the Masters and Challengers sections by Sheikha Ali Al Naqbi, Chairperson of the Committee on Education, Culture, Media, and Youth Affairs at the Consultative Council of Sharjah, alongside tournament director Omran Abdullah Al Nuaimi.

Sheikh Dr. Khalid bin Humaid Al Qasimi, Chairman of the Sharjah Cultural and Chess Club and President of the Arab Chess Federation, also attended the matches and closely followed the proceedings.

Ahmed Mohammed Al Midfa, Chairman of the Bridge Committee at the UAE Chess Federation, was also present as well.

In the third category (rated 1900–1400), the round was officially opened by Engineer Talal Al Zaabi.

Sheikha Ali Al Naqbi expressed her delight at visiting the Sharjah Cultural and Chess Club and inaugurating the fourth round of the championship. She noted that the visit was part of a series of field visits to cultural and sports institutions in the emirate, and coincided with a world-class event that has attracted elite chess players from around the globe.

She praised the club’s organizational capacity and cumulative expertise in hosting top-level tournaments and hoped the event would yield medals and achievements that reflect positively on the UAE’s sporting profile.