Grzegorz Gajewski

Gukesh Dommaraju's coach

“Gukesh’s situation is unique: he is the youngest World Champion in history. He is the first ever to face this level of pressure at such a young age. It is… extremely hard, but there is no other way. We just have to adapt, get used to it. That is what is happening.

Already at the tournament in Qatar, it was clear he became much better at dealing with losses, especially during the event. In both Rapid and Blitz, there were moments when he realistically aimed to fight for top places. It did not happen in the end, but it did not make him angry. He found a balance: yes, he was disappointed with the result, but not to the point where it affected his play. He understands sport, and especially in fast time controls it’s extremely difficult to always be at the top.

From a chess perspective, we’re looking for patience and confidence. That’s what we want to see. Because when they combine, I’m sure it will give him excellent results. When you’re confident, you’re patient — because you know the results will come.”