On the remaining day following recreation 9 of the World Chess Championship, Gukesh and Grzegorz Gajewski went for a stroll on the seaside in Singapore. There the Polish coach and Indian teenager noticed a number of individuals making an attempt bungee leaping. That was when Gajewski had a Eureka second.
“He mentioned to me, ‘In case you win the world championship, I’m going to do bungee leaping.’ I’m personally fairly fearful of heights. So I don’t know why I mentioned, ‘I’’ll additionally be part of you.’” chuckled Gukesh on the press convention after changing into the world champion.
Now that the pact has been made, it have to be honoured. Come Saturday, each Gukesh and Gajewski will take turns to taunt gravity. As Gukesh mentioned: “I’m trying ahead to leaping off a bridge.”
Gajewski has been the reliable sherpa to Gukesh as {the teenager} scaled the very best peak of chess — changing into a world champion. It’s a partnership that took place in January 2023 when the duo was introduced collectively by Viswanathan Anand, who himself relied on Gajewski as a second for a number of world championship battles.
At big-ticket occasions just like the World Championship, a participant has a whole crew of seconds. Some are invited to coaching camps for very particular roles, like enjoying coaching video games. Others assist construct a repertoire of opening concepts, which the gamers can play on the board in video games. Most of Gukesh’s crew has been collectively since Gukesh was making ready for the Candidates match in Toronto.
Paddy Upton unique interview: ‘Gukesh studied the entire guide to organize for world championship… proper all the way down to minutest element’
On the world championship, Gukesh was simply the better-prepared combatant on the chess board. Virtually in each recreation, he managed to confound Ding Liren within the opening section — the place the affect of seconds is the biggest — forcing the now-former world champion to expend time on the clock fascinated by a response.
As soon as he was the world champion, Gukesh revealed the names of his seconds. Moreover Gajewski and thoughts guru Paddy Upton, there have been 5 extra grandmasters who had helped Gukesh: Pentala Harikrishna, Radosław Wojtaszek (Poland), Jan-Krzysztof Duda (Poland), Jan Klimkowski (Poland) and Vincent Keymer (Germany). Anand was the mentor, at all times at hand for all times recommendation ought to Gukesh want it.
Gajewski broke down how the backroom crew had helped Gukesh plot his chess coup.
The opening concepts for Gukesh’s video games got here from 4 members: Harikrishna, Radek (Radosław Wojtaszek), Keymer and Gajewski. Harikrishna, Radek and Gajewski had been with the crew since earlier than the Candidates. Again then, Klimkowski was additionally a member of the crew serving to the crew with analytical work. Keymer was the final one to affix.
“With Vincent, we didn’t know what he would truly convey to the crew. So we had been type of taking some type of a threat. But it surely paid off as a result of he introduced a whole lot of fascinating concepts,” Gajewski informed The Indian Categorical.
Making ready for time hassle
Jan-Krzysztof Duda — one of many world’s finest blitz gamers — was introduced on board to play a “couple of hundred coaching video games” in opposition to Gukesh. And to play quick codecs of video games, so Gukesh might be ready for pondering shortly in time hassle conditions. In essence, Duda and Gukesh have been secretly enjoying these coaching video games on-line in opposition to one another since April.
“He’s the participant within the crew! With a capital P. He’s not like most of us which might be sitting there with engines. He’s like, wake him up in the midst of the evening, give him a place, he’ll simply play. And he can play for hours.
“This allowed Gukesh to get some expertise within the traces that he was imagined to be enjoying. But additionally to enhance his expertise of enjoying on very low time, which might be helpful throughout time hassle. We wished to ensure that on the subject of time troubles, Gukesh is not going to collapse. Though we did principally concentrate on the openings, we didn’t neglect in regards to the different issues and different areas of the sport,” mentioned Gajewski.
Between the Candidates in April and the World Championship, Group Gukesh had 4 coaching camps in Poland and India.
The Polish affect within the crew is clearly courtesy Gajewski, who has assumed the position that Peter Heine Nielsen performed for Magnus Carlsen — the “center man connecting the entire crew”.
In case you thought being a challenger for the world champion’s throne was powerful, spare a thought for seconds.
“It mainly means for 3 weeks, you don’t get to sleep for greater than six hours. Even when technically you’ll be able to sleep for over six hours (on sure days), you’ll stay awake for that lengthy. There’s a lot stress, a lot work to do. You must keep alert,” shrugged Gajewski.
The complexities of working for the hardest take a look at within the sport meant that the crew wanted to work across the clock. That’s why the crew selected Malaga in Spain as the bottom for the remainder of the crew, whereas Gajewski joined Gukesh in Singapore.
“After they went to sleep (in Spain), we awakened (in Singapore),” he identified.
In spite of everything that grind, Gajewski can lastly sleep for greater than six hours now. But it surely’s the considered leaping off a bridge on Saturday that’s giving him a sleepless evening.
Why must you purchase our Subscription?
You need to be the neatest within the room.
You need entry to our award-winning journalism.
You don’t need to be misled and misinformed.
Select your subscription bundle