Brunello won the Italian Chess Championship four times: in 2005, 2008, 2010, and 2015. In 2010, he won the EU Individual Open Chess Championship. He competed in three Chess Olympiads (2008, 2010, 2012) and the World Team Chess Championship in 2013.
Brunello is also an author, having published "Attacking the Spanish", a book about chess strategies, in 2009. He is known for his aggressive playstyle and deep understanding of complex chess strategies.
Some of his notable games include a victory over top rated Armenian Grandmaster Levon Aronian in 2013 and a draw against World Champion Magnus Carlsen during the 40th Chess Olympiad in 2012.