The chessboard whisperers: Mental coaches in demand after Gukesh's success

With Paddy Upton's client, Gukesh, proving spectacularly successful, chess prodigies from around the world will be in the market for mental coaches

One of the more interesting aspects of Gukesh Dommaraju’s successful campaign for the world championship was the induction of Paddy Upton as part of his team. The South African is a former first-class cricketer and rugby international. He’s also worked as a strength and conditioning coach.

 

But his real credentials are as a mental coach, a head whisperer who’s worked across 20 different sports and esports. Indians may recall Upton as part of the outfit that supported the winning squad in the 2011 cricket World Cup, and as a consultant with the hockey team that won bronze at the 2020