SINGAPORE: In the world of competitive sports, the margins between victory and defeat are often razor-thin, with mental resilience playing as much a crucial part of a professional athlete in determining the outcome of high-pressure competition such as the recent FIDE World Chess Championship.
Held at the Resorts World Sentosa in Singapore from Nov 25 to Dec 12, millions around the world witnessed a historic moment as Indian chess grandmaster Gukesh Dommaraju was crowned the winner of the competition, claiming a decisive win against defending champion Ding Liren from China in the final Game 14.
For Gukesh, it was about addressing a critical issue midway through the competition affecting his performance: sleep.
In the post-tournament press conference, the newly-crowned world champion mentioned that his sleep hadn’t been great, leading to grogginess on the board.
“To be honest, my sleep wasn’t great either, but I think that is understandable,” Gukesh admitted, who became the world’s youngest world chess champion at age 18.
That’s when Gukesh turned to Paddy Upton, a renowned South African mental conditioning coach. Paddy offered valuable advice on making changes and setting up a sleep-conducive environment to improve the quality of his rest during the competition.
Gukesh recalled, “I spoke with Paddy about this after the 12th game. The last few days before the 12th game, I wasn’t sleeping well. I was feeling a bit groggy on the board. So I asked Paddy for some advice, and he suggested some little changes, which I did.”
Upton’s impressive track record speaks for itself. As a former first-class cricketer and rugby international, he has worked with athletes across multiple sports disciplines, helping the athletes to unlock their full potential.
He was also the mental conditioning and strategic leadership coach during India’s cricket team victory during the 2011 ICC World Cup.
Gukesh mentioned that through Paddy’s guidance, he could sleep eight hours a night, feeling refreshed and focused during his games. The impact was evident in Gukesh’s performance as he went on to win the championship.
“I set up the environment in a better way, and the last two days, I slept very well, at least eight hours,” revealed the teen chess prodigy.
In the best-of-14 match series, 2023 champion Liren drew first blood, winning the opening match to gain momentum. But it was anyone’s game as the battle for supremacy intensified, and Gukesh rebounded strongly in Game 3 after the second match ended in a stalemate.
The see-saw contest continued, with Games 4 to 10 ending in a deadlock. It left chess enthusiasts on the edge of their seats as they anxiously awaited the outcome of the nail-biting battle, wondering which of the two chess grandmasters would ultimately emerge victorious.
Gukesh boldly grasped the momentum in Game 11, but Liren swiftly countered, restoring parity in Game 12. With the championship still up for grabs, Game 13 ended in another stalemate, setting the stage for a nail-biting finale in the deciding Game 14.
“I made some changes on the rest day, and it really helped. Game 13 and Game 14, I felt quite fresh on the board. I was able to play long games and put a lot of pressure on my opponent.
I was able to play long games and put a lot of pressure on my opponent. So sleep is a very important part, and I would like to thank Paddy for suggesting these changes, which really helped,” shared Gukesh.
With the victory, Gukesh made history by becoming the youngest grandmaster to win the World Chess Championship at the age of 18.
There was also a groundbreaking moment in the competition’s 138-year history, featuring the first-ever championship match between two Asian opponents.
Prior to Gukesh’s triumph, Norwegian chess legend Magnus Carlsen had held the crown from 2013 to 2022. However, he relinquished his title after declining to defend it in 2023, citing a lack of motivation.
In 2023, Liren won the World Chess Championship against Russian chess grandmaster Ian Nepomniachtchi in a nail-biting match held in Astana, Kazakhstan.