US chess grandmaster Daniel Naroditsky has died at the age of 29. This was announced by his club Charlotte Chess Center with reference to the family. Naroditsky died unexpectedly and a cause of death was not given.
Naroditsky has become famous in recent years, especially on social media, with his tutorials for hobby players. He taught chess at his club and also worked as a commentator, author and influencer.
Almost half a million people had subscribed to his YouTube channel. “He was a talented chess player, commentator and teacher. Fide extends its deepest condolences to Daniel’s family and loved ones,” said the International Chess Federation on X.
Early successes
Naroditsky achieved grandmaster status in 2013 at the age of 18. In 2007 he won the Fide championship title and the U12 section of the World Youth Chess Championship. He tied for second place at the 2010 US Open, became International Champion in 2011 and won the US Junior Championship in 2013.
He reached his highest Fide Elo number in classical chess of 2647 in May 2017. This number is calculated from various factors and indicates the playing strength of a chess player.