In his remarkable World Chess Championship triumph over Ding Liren, D Gukesh demonstrated exceptional composure, which captivated the audience. It was later disclosed that Paddy Upton, a mental conditioning coach renowned for his work with the Indian cricket team during their victorious 2011 ODI World Cup campaign, was part of Gukesh's championship team.

At the ongoing Weissenhaus Freestyle Chess Grand Slam, Gukesh has once again exhibited his remarkable calmness, 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 ability to perform under pressure, remaining unfazed, a quality reminiscent of Indian cricket icon MS Dhoni.

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

Better than Magnus Carlsen's heart-rate

The current Freestyle Grand Slam at Weissenhaus features monitors that track the heart rates of players in real-time, displaying this information on-screen during the matches. Notably, Caruana remarked on Gukesh's calm demeanour while playing. In a conversation with David Howell, he inquired, "Was his heart rate around 70?"

"That is quite remarkable... Additionally, Magnus's heart rate remains relatively stable," he noted.

Official commentators Peter Leko and Judit Polgar have expressed their astonishment at Gukesh’s heart-rate monitor readings. During their live broadcast, Leko inquired of Polgar, “How does he manage it? Who is he?”

Following Gukesh’s victory in Singapore last year, Upton elaborated on the Indian Grandmaster’s capacity to isolate himself from external distractions. In an interview with Hindustan Times, he remarked, “This is one of the essential skills for a chess player. Indeed, for any athlete, the ability to maintain proper focus and be fully present is crucial. In a game that is predominantly mental and can last for 6-7 hours, sustaining concentration is vital, and very few individuals can remain intensely focused for such an extended period. In some sports, we refer to this as the ability to switch up and switch down.”

“There are moments when you comprehend the next move; you recognize all the possibilities, and you have completed all necessary deliberation. At that point, it is important to allow your mind a brief respite. Closing your eyes serves to eliminate all visual stimuli, functioning almost as a method of recharging, slightly replenishing your mental energy,” he added.

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