American chess grandmaster and internet star Daniel Naroditsky dies aged 29

The US chess player Daniel Naroditsky has died suddenly on Monday at the age of 29, his club, the Charlotte Chess Centre, and the International Chess Federation (FIDE) confirmed.

The cause of his death has not been revealed.

"It is with great sadness that we share the unexpected passing of Daniel Naroditsky. Daniel was a gifted chess player, commentator and educator, as well as a beloved member of the chess community, admired and respected by players and fans around the world," the family said in a statement released by both entities.

The message concludes with a tribute to his legacy: "Let us remember Daniel for his passion and love of chess, and for the joy and inspiration he brought us every day. The cause of death has not been disclosed, only that it occurred unexpectedly.

Naroditsky was U12 World Champion in 2007 and reached a maximum Elo of 2,647 points. He graduated from Stanford University with a degree in history and, at the age of 14, had already published his first chess book.

In 2013, at the age of 18, he was awarded the title of Grandmaster and a year later received the prestigious Samford Chess Scholarship. During his career he remained among the top 150 in the world and scored one of his most notable victories when he defeated his compatriot Fabiano Caruana, ranked No. 2 in the world, in the 2021 US Championship.

Shock and sadness

Fellow grandmasters credited Naroditsky with introducing the sport to a wider audience by livestreaming many of his matches and sharing live commentary on others.

Thousands of people regularly tuned in on YouTube and the interactive streaming platform Twitch to watch him play.

“He loved streaming, and he loved trying to be educational. The chess world is very grateful," Hikaru Nakamura, an American grandmaster, said on a livestream Monday.

Dutch chess grandmaster Benjamin Bok reflected on his lifelong friendship with Naroditsky, who he said he's known since the Under 12 world championship that Naroditsky won in 2007.

“I still can’t believe it and don’t want to believe it," Bok said on X. "It was always a privilege to play, train, and commentate with Danya, but above all, to call him my friend.”

In a final video posted to his YouTube channel on Friday titled “You Thought I Was Gone!?” Naroditsky tells viewers he's “back, better than ever” after taking a creative break from streaming. He talks viewers through his moves as he plays live chess matches on the computer from a cosy home studio.