American chess grandmaster Daniel Naroditsky dies at 29

Dubai: Daniel Naroditsky, a celebrated American chess grandmaster and former child prodigy, passed away on Monday at the age of 29. Known as one of the most influential voices in American chess, Naroditsky was found dead at his residence in San Jose, California. Authorities have yet to confirm an official cause of death, but early reports suggest there were no signs of foul play, according to Marca.

The Charlotte Chess Center in North Carolina, where Naroditsky coached and trained, announced his passing on social media, describing him as “a talented chess player, educator, and beloved member of the chess community.”

“Let us remember Daniel for his passion and love for the game of chess, and for the joy and inspiration he brought to us all every day,” his family said in a statement shared by the centre.

Born and raised in San Mateo County, California, Naroditsky began making waves in the chess world early. He won the Under-12 World Championship in 2007 and earned the grandmaster title at just 18. During his teen years, he authored several books on chess strategy while steadily climbing the international rankings.

Naroditsky was consistently ranked among the world’s top 200 players in classical chess and was especially dominant in blitz, a fast-paced format where he remained in the global top 25 for much of his career. Most recently, he won the US National Blitz Championship in August.

Beyond his tournament success, Naroditsky was widely recognised for popularising chess through streaming. Known affectionately to fans as “Danya,” he built a devoted following on YouTube and Twitch, where he livestreamed his matches and offered detailed, educational commentary. Fellow grandmaster Hikaru Nakamura noted, “He loved streaming, and he loved trying to be educational. The chess world is very grateful.”

In what would become his final video, titled “You Thought I Was Gone!?” and posted last Friday, Naroditsky told viewers he was “back, better than ever” after a creative break. The video features him playing live games from a warmly lit home studio, narrating his thought process with the clarity and enthusiasm that endeared him to fans.

Tributes from across the global chess community have poured in. Indian grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa expressed his shock on X (formerly Twitter): “I’m deeply saddened to hear about the passing of Danya. Every time I logged into Chess.com, I would see his challenge for a game. It’s hard to believe that I won’t see it anymore.”

Dutch grandmaster Benjamin Bok also shared his grief, reflecting on their long-standing friendship that began at the Under-12 championship. “It was always a privilege to play, train, and commentate with Danya, but above all, to call him my friend,” Bok wrote.

Naroditsky graduated from Stanford University in 2019 with a degree in history, taking a gap year during his studies to focus on chess. After college, he moved to Charlotte, North Carolina, where he became a key figure in developing the region’s top junior talent.