A US chess grandmaster and online commentator has died aged 29.
Daniel Naroditsky’s death was announced by the Charlotte Chess Centre, an academy in North Carolina, where he was the head coach.
The chess school did not provide a cause of death.
In a social media post, the chess centre said: ‘It is with great sadness that we share the unexpected passing of Daniel Naroditsky.
‘Daniel was a talented chess player, commentator, and educator, and a cherished member of the chess community. He was also a loving son, brother, and loyal friend to many.’
Known to friends as Danya, Daniel was born in San Mateo,California, on November 9, 1995.
At just 14 years old, he wrote Mastering Positional Chess: Practical Lessons of a Junior World Champion and became the youngest published chess author.
He regularly ranked in the top 200 worldwide for traditional chess for years after securing his first grandmaster title in 2011.
Daniel was well known for playing blitz chess, where players have only five minutes to win the fast-paced, more tactical match.
Hans Niemann, a chess grandmaster, recalled on X how he bumped into Daniel on a flight home from the Reykjavík Open inIceland.
‘I nervously approached him, but his warmth and willingness to talk immediately put me at ease,’ Hans said.
‘As my chess career continued, we played countless blitz games, and I credit a large part of my improvement to those battles.
‘Danya’s kindness, wisdom, and love for the game left a lasting mark on me. I offer my sincerest condolences to his family and loved ones. We will all miss you dearly.’
Other chess streamers paid tribute to Daniel, including five-time US Chess Champion Hikaru Nakamura.
‘I’m devastated,’ he posted on X, adding: ‘This is a massive loss for the world of chess.’
Ukrainian chess player Oleksandr Bortnyk added: ‘He was a very talented chess player. But more, he was a very good guy. Very kind guy.
‘He was a good friend.’
Danny Rensch, the chief chess officer of the news outletChess.comwhich runs chess events, described Daniel as the ‘inspirational face’ of chess.
‘The news is devastating for the chess world and all who knew him,’ he added. ‘It’s impossible to put words to this kind of loss.’
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