World Champion D Gukesh is going through one of the most challenging phases of his career, with inconsistent results, form scrutiny, and more.
Many critics questioned his standing at the top of chess; however, his coach, Grzegorz Gajewski, still has faith that Gukesh is on the right track, despite the loss of his form.
According to Gajewski, there is one constant issue that continues to challenge Gukesh more than any other: time management.
Gukesh became the youngest world champion in 2024. He was the undisputed and most praised grandmaster then, but following the world championship, he is facing a lot of criticism.
Rating fluctuations and a series of Gukesh’s disappointing tournament results have led to a debate across the chess industry, with many big players questioning his position in the world of Chess.
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But despite all this criticism, his coach, Gajewski, has clarified that these critical comments and scrutiny don’t take away Gukesh’s attention.
Grzegorz Gajewski On Criticism Around D Gukesh
Former world champion Garry Kasparov recently argued that the importance of the world championship has ended after Magnus Carlsen renounced the title in 2023. However, Gajewski believes Gukesh has remained largely unaffected by any such remarks.
Gajewski told The Indian Express that, “I don’t think meeting the expectations of former world champions is his main goal as a professional chess player. I don’t think the comments affected him at all. They have the right to their opinions. It’s your responsibility as a professional chess player, especially of his calibre, to simply focus on your job.”
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Grzegorz Gajewski, who has been D Gukesh’s coach since 2023, believes that the chess grandmaster’s focus remains firm on improving his game, and about the recent form dip, Gajewski said, “It’s just a matter of time for him”.
Gukesh’s Constant Problem
The Polish Grandmaster acknowledged that, as he has worked closely with Gukesh, he sees one constant problem that the world champion is unable to solve.
“We’ve done a lot of work that was focusing on elements that are somewhere between chess and psychology. The work never ends, really. We’ve done a lot of work on the time management thing, but it’s a problem that can never be fully solved,” revealed D Gukesh’s coach.
“It’s his (Gukesh’s) nature to think (calculate during games). So this is not something that can be just solved for good. It’s a constant challenge for him,” explains Gajewski.
Why The Coach Remains Confident
Despite the recent struggles, Gajewski maintains that Gukesh’s overall development has continued behind the scenes.
The coach argues that several aspects of the world champion’s game have improved significantly. He said, “There are many aspects in his play which have improved. And while these might not yet be reflected in the results, I think it’s just a matter of one good confidence boost that will allow him to show his full potential.”
