Daniel Naroditsky, chess grandmaster, dies at 29
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| Photo: Charlotte Chess Center |
According to the organization, Naroditsky’s passing was “unexpected”.
Daniel Naroditsky's cause of death remains undisclosed, and the family has asked for privacy.
Naroditsky emerged as a chess prodigy. Born November 9, 1995, in San Mateo, California, he learned the game at age 6 and won the Under-12 section of the World Youth Chess Championship in 2007.
- He earned the grandmaster title in 2013 at age 18.
- At his peak his FIDE rating reached 2647 in May 2017.
Beyond over-the-board play, Naroditsky built a significant presence online.
He created educational videos, streamed on Twitch and YouTube, and served as commentator and coach.
Colleagues in the chess community expressed shock. Hikaru Nakamura called him:
“just someone who tried to do what he could for chess”.
Taking to social media, Nakamura said in a post:
"This is a massive loss for the world of chess."
Naroditsky graduated from Stanford University in history in 2019 and later moved to Charlotte, North Carolina, where he coached at the Charlotte Chess Center.
He competed in five U.S. Championships and maintained a competitive presence in both classical and faster time formats.
His passing has prompted an outpouring of tributes from around the world.
