Chess Influencer and Grandmaster Daniel Naroditsky Dies at 29

Daniel Naroditsky, a chess grandmaster and well-known chess commentator, has died. He was 29.

“The Naroditsky family shares nan sad news of Daniel’s unexpected passing,” publication a statement shared by Naroditsky's club, Charlotte Chess Center, to X connected Oct. 20. “Daniel was a talented chess player, educator, and beloved personnel of nan chess community. We inquire for privateness arsenic nan family grieves."

A typical for nan Mecklenburg County Medical Examiner's Office confirmed Naroditsky's decease to PEOPLE.

Naroditsky, who grew up successful nan Bay Area, first roseate to prominence successful nan chess organization astatine a young age, winning nan Under 12 conception of nan World Youth Chess Championship successful 2007. He published a book, Mastering Positional Chess, successful 2010 astatine nan property of 14.

In 2013, he won nan U.S. Junior Championship, and later scored nan grandmaster title astatine nan extremity of nan year. He was awarded nan Samford Chess Fellowship — 1 of nan astir salient awards for young American chess masters — in 2014. Over nan adjacent decade, Naroditsky would proceed to compete successful nan U.S. Championships for chess and was regularly classed wrong nan apical 200 players successful nan world.

Naroditsky besides maintained a pursuing of complete 484,000 subscribers connected his YouTube channel, wherever he would watercourse his chess games pinch unrecorded commentary. On Oct. 17, he shared his last video to his relationship — his first successful respective weeks — after telling his followers he was “taking a imaginative break.”

Throughout nan world chess community, tributes poured successful for nan precocious prima aft nan news of his decease became public.

"Danya was much than an amazing, inspirational look of our game, he was a friend and brother,” said Chess.com's Chief Chess Officer Danny Rensch. “The news is devastating for nan chess world and each who knew him. It’s intolerable to put words to this benignant of loss. My love, thoughts and prayers are pinch his family.”

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“RIP my awesome friend Daniel Naroditsky, I still can’t believe,” wrote grandmaster Oleksandr Bortnyk successful a post connected X.

“I've been sitting present numb for nan past hr staring astatine this news,” shared grandmaster Levy Rozman connected X. “The world mislaid a superb man today. May his representation unrecorded connected everlastingly and whitethorn we ever cherish his contributions to our beautiful game.”