The chess community is mourning the “unexpected” loss of chess grandmaster and well-known commentator, Daniel Naroditsky.
Naroditsky, who was the recipient of the prestigious Samford Chess Fellowship, passed away at 29, PEOPLE reported.
On October 20, Naroditsky’s club, Charlotte Chess Center, confirmed the sad news on X.
“The Naroditsky family shares the sad news of Danielâs unexpected passing. Daniel was a talented chess player, educator, and beloved member of the chess community. We ask for privacy as the family grieves.”
Meanwhile, PEOPLE confirmed the chess legend’s death from a representative of the Mecklenburg County Medical Examiner’s Office.
A Closer Look at Daniel Naroditsky’s Success
Naroditsky first gained recognition in the chess world at a young age, winning the Under-12 section of the World Youth Chess Championship in 2007.
In 2010, he published the book “Mastering Positional Chess” at the age of 14. Naroditsky won the U.S. Junior Championship and was given the grandmaster title in 2013.
In 2014, he was awarded the prestigious Samford Chess Fellowship, cementing his name in American chess.
Naroditsky competed in the U.S. Championships for chess over the next decade and was consistently ranked within the top 200 players worldwide.
His passion for chess also reflected on his YouTube channel, which amassed over 480,000 subscribers. Naroditsky would stream his chess games with live commentaries, showcasing his in-depth knowledge of the game.
Tributes Pour In
Chess fanatics shared their heartfelt tributes to Naroditsky, honoring his legacy. One fan commented on his last YouTube video, “I can’t believe we will never get another video from this legend. I feel sick. Rest in Peace to the best chess teacher on YT.”
Another wrote, “This is one of the saddest deaths I’ve encountered, unreal. I’m going to miss the speedruns. This world can’t be real right now.”
A mourning fan added, “Rest easy Danya. Learning chess won’t be the same without you.”
Meanwhile, fellow chess legends also paid tribute to Naroditsky. Chess.com’s Chief Chess Officer, Danny Rensch said, “Danya was more than an amazing, inspirational face of our game, he was a friend and brother. The news is devastating for the chess world and all who knew him. Itâs impossible to put words to this kind of loss. My love, thoughts and prayers are with his family.”
Chess grandmaster Oleksandr Bortnyk posted on X, “RIP my great friend Daniel Naroditsky, I still canât believe.”
Similarly, grandmaster Levy Rozman wrote, “I’ve been sitting here numb for the past hour staring at this news. The world lost a brilliant man today. May his memory live on forever, and may we always cherish his contributions to our beautiful game.”
The post Beloved Chess Grandmaster Passes Away at 29 – Tributes Pour In appeared first on EntertainmentNow.