Delhi: Indian Grandmaster Gukesh Dommaraju created history by winning the World Chess Championship in Singapore on Thursday. By achieving this title at the age of 18, Gukesh became the world’s youngest world chess champion. After winning the title, Gukesh described former Indian cricket team captain MS Dhoni as his idol. Interestingly, Dhoni’s influence was not limited to Gukesh’s inspiration, but a coach from his cricketing era played an important role in this historic victory.
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role of paddy upton
After winning the Candidates Tournament earlier this year, Gukesh took the help of a mental conditioning coach for his mental preparation. He chose Paddy Upton, who was the mental conditioning and leadership coach of the Indian cricket team under Dhoni’s captaincy during the 2011 World Cup. Upton also recently helped the Indian men’s hockey team win a bronze medal in the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Challenges and determination of Gukesh
The journey of this championship was not easy for Gukesh. He had to face defeat in the first round, and was defeated by Ding Liren in the 12th match also. But, Gukesh showed amazing patience and perseverance. Especially in the decisive 14th game, he took advantage of Liren’s mistake and captured the title.
Upton’s contribution and strategy
Upton compared Gukesh’s preparation to exam preparation. He said, “If you want to do well in the exam, it is important to read the entire book deeply. Only then can you go into the examination with confidence.” Upton paid attention to every little thing about Gukesh, like managing sleep, dealing with mental pressure and making decisions during the game.
Over the past six months, Upton worked with Gukesh to develop strategies for many different situations. This included techniques for handling pressure while ahead, bouncing back from behind, and maintaining focus during the game.
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