Upton waxes eloquent about Gukesh’s self-awareness

Paddy Upton was a huge support to D. Gukesh during his World championship match.

SINGAPORE

Paddy Upton is no stranger to India. He was to chess, though.

One of the most sought after mental coaches in international sport, Upton helped India win the cricket World Cup in 2011 and then the men’s hockey bronze medal at the Paris Olympics this year. He also worked with Rajasthan Royals at the IPL. Now, he has helped D. Gukesh become the youngest World chess champion in history.

And he arrived in time here to witness Gukesh’s triumph. He wasn’t supposed to, though.

“I decided to fly here because I really had a strong sense I was coming to watch Gukesh win,” Upton tells The Hindu. “It was a last-minute decision. I just knew he was going to finish strong. I knew he was in a great space.”

So what was his role in Gukesh’s preparation for the big match?

“I think there were some really big obstacles that he needed to navigate, like any athlete,” says Upton. “At the age of 18, to approach such a big moment, to have the ideal preparation, not to be over-prepared, over-excited, over-worked. And if you do that, you end up arriving tired at the beginning of an 18-day event. But also not to be under-prepared, not to cut any corners.”

He was impressed with Gukesh as a person and player. “I found someone who had a remarkable ability of self-reflection and to be able to see into his mind and understand what his thoughts were,” says Upton. “That is one of the most important things for me as a mental coach. The work I was able to do with Gukesh was at such a deep level because of his ability to self-reflect and have self-awareness.”

So what is it with India and Upton?

“For me, it’s just a big thank you for being invited,” he smiles.