Daniel Naroditsky, a U.S. chess grandmaster and popular online teacher and commentator, died on Monday at age 29. The Charlotte Chess Center in North Carolina, where he coached, announced his death. The cause was not immediately disclosed.
Born in California to parents from Ukraine and Azerbaijan, Naroditsky won the Under-12 World Youth title in 2007 and became a grandmaster at 18. He studied history at Stanford and later moved to Charlotte to train top juniors.
«Daniel shared his passion and love for the game every day,» his family said in a statement released by the Charlotte Chess Center.
Naroditsky was widely followed on YouTube and Twitch for his clear, friendly lessons and live commentary. He also excelled at blitz chess and won the U.S. National Blitz Championship in August. Tributes from leading players, including Hikaru Nakamura, poured in after the news.
