Daniel Naroditsky dead: American chess superstar was 29

Youth chess tournament organizer and political science professor Alan Kirshner had been evasive for years when asked if he had ever seen a chess “genius.”

That changed when he saw San Mateo’s Daniel Naroditsky, then a freshman, in action.

“It was obvious from his concentration and his focus, but he was also relaxed,” said Kirshner, a professor emeritus of political science and history at Fremont Ohlone College. “I ran up to his father, grabbed him by the arm, and said, ‘He’s a genius.’”

The teenager proved that Kirshner was prophetic. While writing a series of strategy books and eventually attracting the attention of a new generation of chess enthusiasts via social media, he ultimately rose to the level of chess grandmaster, the highest ranking possible.

Naroditsky’s star faded unexpectedly Monday after his death was announced by the Charlotte Chess Center, where the 29-year-old was a coach.

“Let us remember Daniel for his passion and love for the game of chess and the joy and inspiration he brought to all of us every day,” the North Carolina center said. published on social media.

The center added: “Daniel was a talented chess player, commentator, educator and beloved member of the chess community, admired and respected by fans and players around the world. He was also a loving son and brother and a devoted friend to many.”

No cause of death was given by the center and funeral arrangements were not announced.

Naroditsky was born in San Mateo and competed in the Bay Area as a teenager.

Although he impressed Kirshner as a freshman, Naroditsky won the majors four years later. 32nd annual CalChess Scholastic competition high school band as a fifth grader. The tournament is the equivalent of the Northern California championships.

Kirshner wrote in his recap of the event that Nardotisky became the youngest champion of the high school-level competition in the tournament’s history.

Luckily for Nardotisky’s opponents, he was too young to represent Northern California at the Denker Tournament of state high school champions later that year, reserved only for high school students.

But Naroditsky had bigger goals.

In December, he defeated his opponent using a chess tactic known as the “Sicilian Defense”. Russia’s Ivan Bukavshin In the last round of the two-hour match played in Antalya in the Under-12 World Youth Chess Championship.

The following year, Naroditsky enrolled in sixth grade at Crystal Springs Uplands School in Belmont, California, and attended school there for two years.

After a one-year break, he re-enrolled in the local high school as a 10th grader in 2011.

School releases 2011 update From Naroditsky’s brotherAlan stated that Daniel earned the title of international master, the second highest honor in the chess world.

A year ago, 14-year-old Naroditsky published his first chess strategy book: “Mastering Positional Chess.” In 2015, he added his second book: “Mastering Complex Endgames: Practical Lessons on Critical Ideas and Plans.”

Naroditsky enjoyed a banner that included winning the US Junior Chess Championship in 2013 in junewhile winning the coveted title grand master in july.

Naroditsky graduated from Stanford University in 2019 with a bachelor’s degree in history.

He started sharing shortly after graduating. Chess strategy videos on YouTube and other platforms including Twitch. He gained 500,000 followers on YouTube.

The title of his last hour-long video, released on Friday, was: “You thought I was gone! Speedrun returns!”

“I kind of took a creative break to decide on future content paths,” Naroditsky said. “So I’m not going to delve into it too much right now because I know everyone gets excited for a game of chess.”

Crystal Springs school superintendent Kelly Sortino said the campus was “deeply saddened by the death.”

“During his years at Crystal, Daniel was known not only for his extraordinary intelligence and chess mastery, but also for his warmth, humility, and kindness,” Sortino wrote in an emailed statement. “Our hearts go out to his family and loved ones, as well as everyone who was inspired by his talent and character. His loss is felt deeply within the Crystal community.”