India, Feb. 13 -- D Gukesh demonstrated remarkable composure during his historic World Chess Championship triumph over Ding Liren, capturing the admiration of fans. It was later disclosed that Paddy Upton, a mental conditioning coach renowned for his work with the Indian cricket team during their 2011 ODI World Cup victory, was part of Gukesh's championship team.

At the ongoing Weissenhaus Freestyle Chess Grand Slam, Gukesh has once again exhibited his calm demeanour, as evidenced by a heart-rate monitor. Although he did not secure a victory in the opening leg of the Freestyle Grand Slam Tour, Gukesh has consistently shown his readiness to perform under pressure, reminiscent of the legendary Indian cricketer MS Dhoni.

In the first game of his quarter-final match against Fabiano Caruana, Gukesh had less than a minute remaining on his clock, with his heart rate recorded at 78 beats per minute (BPM). In contrast, Caruana, who had an additional 35 seconds on his clock, was surprisingly on edge, with a heart rate of 124 BPM.

The ongoing Freestyle Grand Slam at Weissenhaus features monitors that track players' heart rates in real time, displaying the data on the screen. Caruana himself acknowledged Gukesh's composure during the games, inquiring with David Howell, "His was around 70?"

"That's quite impressive. Also, Magnus's heart rate doesn't elevate much," he added.

Official commentators Peter Leko and Judit Polgar have also expressed astonishment at Gukesh's heart-rate statistics. Leko posed a question to Polgar during their live coverage, asking, "How does he do it? Who is he?"

Following Gukesh's victory in Singapore last year, Upton elaborated on the Indian grandmaster's ability to isolate himself from external distractions. In an interview with Hindustan Times, he stated, "That's one of the skills that a chess player needs. Yes. For any athlete, it is crucial to maintain proper focus and be fully present."

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