Coffee, Siamese cats and bananas: Inside chess player rituals

Apr 09, 2024 09:42 AM IST

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Tournament routines are calibrated to reduce anxiety, offer a sense of comfort and control and mimic conditions from previous successes

Hikaru Nakamura has been bringing a to-go cup of Starbucks Grande Americano to his games at the Candidates in Toronto. Praggnananandhaa carries a banana. Vidit Gujrathi sits head bowed, eyes closed in a meditative pose at the board before the start of every game.

World No 3 Hikaru Nakamura has been bringing a to-go cup of Grande Americano to his games at the Candidates, much like he did in the 2022 Madrid edition (FIDE)

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