The ongoing Sinquefield Cup has allowed the chess world to witness both Ding Liren and Gukesh compete in the classical format before their much-anticipated clash in Singapore with the world champion’s crown on the line. World champion Ding Liren has been the subject of much discussion over his physical and mental condition ever since he won the world title. In addition to the one-on-one between Gukesh and Ding, the entire tournament has generated interest from spectators and competitors alike to gauge each player’s skill level.
Grandmaster Anish Giri, who is also competing at the event and has had a chance to observe both players up close, gave an insight. Gukesh has been looking, for many months now, extremely tense and extremely focused. Hyper-focused! I was reaching that stage as a kid at some point as well. However, I felt that this hyper-focus is too much. I felt like you’re risking burning yourself out if you’re that way, Anish told the media from St Louis.
Maybe, I’m wrong. Maybe, Gukesh can handle it. Maybe, that’s what he needs to become world champion. Gukesh looks fit, he’s playing quite well, not without mistakes. I believe he has all the chances of becoming World Champion, the Dutch player added.
When questioned about Gukesh’s opponent in the World Championship, Anish answered, what surprises me about Ding is that his level of play is quite high at the moment in this tournament (Sinquefield Cup). But you do still see that his physical condition is not top-notch. I can see it; you can hear it in the way he sits at the board: he starts to move a little bit on the chair.
You see it in the way he breathes or coughs: he coughs in a way that you realize that it’s not that he’s got a cold, but it’s a nervous cough. You can see how nervous and anxious he is. He’s sometimes shaking a little bit. It’s just these incredible physiological signs of weakness. It’s quite intuitive, the science when people look very nervous and can’t fully control themselves, Anish stated.
Gukesh’s immense concentration could be a double-edged sword, Anish asserted. Gukesh being hyper-focused could be an issue because maybe at some point, he will be upset or angry if he loses, said the 30-year-old Dutchman, who will be in action in the second edition of the Global Chess League for the PBG Alaskan Knights franchise.
