Daniel Naroditsky, an American chess grandmaster who attracted a massive online following through his livestreamed play and accessible teachings, has died at 29.
The Charlotte Chess Center, a chess academy in Charlotte, North Carolina, where Naroditsky served as a head coach, announced his death in a statement on social media Monday. The announcement did not include a cause of death or say where he died.
“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,” the Charlotte Chess Center said in a statement attributed to Naroditsky’s family.
READ ALSO: Two dead after cargo plane skids off Hong Kong runway into sea
Born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area, Naroditsky began learning chess at age 6, starting a journey that would see him earn the title of grandmaster – the highest title awarded by the International Chess Federation to the world’s top players – before he was a senior in high school, according to the center.
His talent was evident early: he won grade-level national championships twice, and in fifth grade became the youngest player ever to claim the California K-12 Championship. That same year, in November 2007, he earned international acclaim as the under-12 World Youth Chess Champion, establishing himself as one of the country’s most promising young talents.
After taking a gap year to focus fully on chess, Naroditsky enrolled at Stanford University and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in history in 2019.
The chess phenom also showed a spark for teaching the game. The first of his two chess manuals was published when he was just 14, and he went on to become a regular contributor to Chess Life magazine and other platforms dedicated to the game. The New York Times hired Naroditsky as a chess columnist in 2022.
SOURCE: CNN
Source: ameyawdebrah.com/
