The American chess world is mourning the sudden death of Grandmaster Daniel Naroditsky, who passed away at just 29 years old, his family confirmed Monday through the Charlotte Chess Center, where he coached and competed.
“It is with great sadness that we share the unexpected passing of Daniel Naroditsky,” the family said in a statement. “Daniel was a talented chess player, commentator, and educator, and a cherished member of the chess community.”
The cause of death has not yet been disclosed.
Born in California, Naroditsky, affectionately known as Danya, showed brilliance early, winning the World Under-12 Championship and publishing two chess books before he turned 18. That same year, he earned the prestigious Grandmaster title, marking him as one of America’s brightest chess talents.
Over the following decade, he became a fixture of both traditional and online chess, ranking among the world’s top 200 in classical formats and breaking into the top 25 globally in blitz chess, a faster, more instinctive form of the game.
Most recently, Naroditsky captured the US National Blitz Championship in August and placed ninth in the World Blitz Championship last year.
Beyond the tournament circuit, Naroditsky helped bring chess to new audiences. His Twitch and YouTube streams, part masterclass, part theatre, drew thousands of fans who tuned in not only to learn, but to enjoy his calm, witty analysis and generous teaching style.
In his final YouTube video, titled “You Thought I Was Gone!?”, posted just last Friday, Naroditsky smiled through a live blitz session, telling fans he was “back, better than ever” after a brief hiatus.
Tributes poured in from the global chess community.
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