During his amazing World Chess Championship win against Ding Liren, D Gukesh showed incredible calmness that reminded fans of legendary Indian cricketer MS Dhoni. Fans were impressed when it was revealed that mental conditioning coach, Paddy Upton, who worked with India’s 2011 World Cup-winning cricket team, was part of Gukesh’s team. Gukesh’s ability to stay cool under pressure became more evident in the ongoing Weissenhaus Freestyle Chess Grand Slam.
Heart-Rate test proves Gukesh’s focus
Gukesh’s calmness was even tested with a heart-rate monitor. During his quarter-final match against Fabiano Caruana at the Freestyle Grand Slam , Gukesh was down to less than a minute, yet his heart rate was just 78 beats per minute. In contrast, Caruana, who had more time on his clock, had a heart rate of 124 BPM. This composure, similar to Dhoni’s famous calmness, shows Gukesh’s readiness to handle pressure effortlessly. Also, his heart rate is between than the World Number 1 Magnus Carlsen.
Experts and rivals lauding Gukesh
Even players like Caruana and chess commentators noticed Gukesh’s focus. Caruana mentioned, “His [heart rate] was around 70?” adding that it’s impressive. Commentators Peter Leko and Judit Polgar were amazed too, with Leko asking, “How does he do it? Who is he!” during their coverage.
More on Indian Sports
- Vidit Gujrathi seals spot for Freestyle Grand Slam Paris, to compete alongside Gukesh & Praggnanandhaa
- Lakshya Sen’s dream run ends with quarterfinal defeat to Li Shi Feng in All England Championship
- Lakshya Sen hammers World No. 2 Jonatan Christie in All England Open, enters pre-quarters
The secret to Staying Focused
Paddy Upton explained Gukesh’s ability to keep his mind focused, “That’s one of the skills that a chess player needs. With any athlete, what’s important is to remain correctly focused and fully present, especially in a mentally intense game lasting 6-7 hours. Very few can stay fully focused with intensity for six hours straight.” Upton described this as switching up and down, adding, “When you know your next move and understand all options, you give your mind a rest. Closing your eyes takes away visual stimulation, recharging and topping up your batteries.”
