In 2019, he became India’s youngest managing director at the age of 12 years, 7 months and 17 days. He is also the sixth Indian to break the record 2700. From his thriving career so far, it is clear that Gukesh is not one to rest on his laurels.

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Halfway through the 44th Chess Olympics stage, the 16-year-old from Chennai was the most impressive player in the event. He had a perfect record after six rounds, displaying the characteristics of an indifferent champion. In Tuesday’s fifth round, he made it easier for Alexei Shirov, the former world number 2 who reached the World Chess Championship final six years before Gukesh was born. The fact that he won with a black pawn, which was considered an inherent disadvantage, made him even more shocking.

“It was definitely one of his biggest wins. It was a special victory,” said Gukesh coach Vishnu Prasanna. “Shirov is someone special, even if he’s not at his best at the moment. Gukesh is gradually getting ahead of this passenger. It’s a good feeling. His performances at the Olympics have been outstanding. Playing in the first board under pressure, he has almost no problems in any match.

Together with R Praggnanandhaa and Nihal Sarin, they formed a triumvirate of teenagers who are considered capable of leading the world of chess in the near future. Even among the three, Gukesh was showing signs of a headache.

“It’s definitely getting better and better. 2700 is a significant number. You can say it does something different. This is heading in the right direction. He was getting closer to the elite. He hasn’t come in yet, but you could say he’s getting closer to them,” said Prasanna.

Given Gukesh’s obvious flair for the game, there can sometimes be a tendency to overlook the many factors that go into a player’s make-up. The 16-year-old, for example, has been meditating to improve his chess skills.

The need to work on the mental plane arises from a tendency to react badly to loss. “It takes practice to be reasonable. You have been meditating for about 15 to 30 minutes a day for a year. He used to be very angry with the defeat. We discussed it some time ago,” said the 33-year-old.

Gukesh’s sanity was seen moments after his victory on Tuesday. When asked if things were progressing so fast, he simply replied, “I’m just trying to play my game. I don’t know if things are moving too fast. Only time will tell. So far, everything is going well. »

Physical fitness is an equally important aspect. “He plays badminton and trains with weights. We are still working on his physical appearance,” said Prasanna. “Since he was 16 years old, energy has not been a big concern for him. But he really likes to play chess. Therefore we are trying to improve his physical condition so that he can continue to play chess at the same level.

Gukesh is at a stage of his career where he is still developing. There is fluidity in his playing style and the ability to set his game plan depending on the opponent. According to Prasanna, there is still time before a different approach is realized.

“He is slowly becoming a very aggressive player who likes to make sudden moves. It didn’t start that way, but now it’s leaning in that direction. But that can change. It is very flexible in that sense. When he was young, it was natural for him to play a simple position. Now he is in complications. He’s still mature as a player. We don’t know exactly what the style will be,” said Prasanna.

Whatever the style, Prasanna thinks Gukesh is destined for greater deeds. “He’s definitely capable of breaking into the top 10. There is no specific target as such, but we are trying to make him improve his qualifications and have a chance to play in the most elite events. »