Gukesh Dommaraju’s coach Grzegorz Gajewski breaks down the key elements of his success

In his second consecutive game at Norway Chess, reigning world champion Gukesh Dommaraju showcased how stubbornness, when paired with skill, can lead to brilliance. Facing a tough situation against Arjun Erigaisi, and just days after his historic win over world no. 1 Magnus Carlsen in classical chess, the 18-year-old fought his way back to secure yet another stunning resignation — this time in a gruelling 92-move battle.

Gukesh turns tournament around with back-to-back comeback victories in Stavanger

Coach Grzegorz Gajewski believes these results are no fluke. “He fights and fights and fights no matter how bad the positions are,” he told Indian media in Stavanger, pointing to the teen’s stamina and commitment under pressure. “When you’re in such trouble (as in the game against Carlsen) and you keep fighting and you get rewarded for it, you have even more faith that it makes sense to keep fighting.”

At the heart of Gukesh’s resurgence, the Polish coach says, lies a ferocious blend of calculative depth and emotional discipline. “Simply put, Gukesh has extraordinary calculation abilities, which, combined with his fighting spirit, help him defend so many positions.”

Post his world championship win against Ding Liren last year, Gukesh had faced scrutiny, especially from those who saw Carlsen’s absence from the title match as a question mark. But beating the Norwegian on Sunday gave Gukesh “a lot of confidence” and, in Gajewski’s words, “some credit” as world champion.

From losing his first two matches at Norway Chess to climbing to second in the standings, Gukesh’s grit has turned heads. “He didn’t lose his spirit… That’s a very big success,” Gajewski was quoted as saying. “Now he knows that even if he starts badly, it doesn’t have to end badly.”