Daniel Naroditsky dies: The American chess superstar was 29 years old

Alan Kirshner, a youth chess tournament organizer and professor of political science, has been asked for years if he has ever seen a “game” of chess.

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

“It was evident through his focus and concentration, but at the same time calm,” said Kirshner, Fremont’s Ohlone College professor emeritus of political science and history. “I went to his father, took him by the hand and said, ‘He’s a genius.’

Young Kirschner proved prophetic. He eventually reached the level of chess grandmaster – the highest rank possible – while writing a series of strategy books and eventually appealing to a new generation of chess players through social media.

Naroditsky’s star died suddenly on Monday as his death was announced by the Charlotte Chess Center, where the 29-year-old worked as a coach.

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

The center added: “Daniel was an accomplished chess player, commentator and teacher and a proud member of the chess community, admired and respected by fans and players around the world. He was a loving son and brother and a loyal friend to many.”

The center has not released a cause of death and no funeral arrangements have been announced.

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

Although he impressed Kirschner as a first grader, it was four years later when Naroditsky won the 32nd annual Cal Chase Scholastic Competition high school bracket as a fifth grader. This tournament is equivalent to the Northern California Championships.

Kirschner wrote in a recap of the event that Nardotski was the youngest champion in the tournament’s history at the high school level.

Fortunately for Nardotski’s competitors, he was too young to represent Northern California later that year in the state high school champion’s Denker Tournament, which was reserved for high school students only.

Naroditsky had bigger goals though.

In December, he employed a chess tactic known as the “Sicilian Defence” to defeat Ivan Bokavshin of Russia In the final round of the two-hour tournament of the 12-year-old World Youth Chess Championship in Antalya, Turkey.

The following year, Naroditsky entered the sixth grade at Crystal Springs Upland School in Belmont, California, where he attended school for two years.

After a year off, he rejoined the local high school in 2011 as a tenth grader.

The school released the 2011 update From Naroditsky’s brotherAllen, who noted that Daniel received the title of World Master, the second highest honor in the world of chess.

A year ago, the 14-year-old Naroditsky published his first chess strategy book, “Mastering chessIn 2015, he added another book, “Mastering Complex Endgames: Practical Lessons in Critical Thinking and Planning“

Naroditskyi won a banner in 2013 that included winning the US Junior Chess Championship. In Junewhile getting the desired title Grand Master in July.

In 2019, Naroditsky received a bachelor’s degree in history from Stanford University.

Shortly after graduation, he began posting Chess Strategy Videos on YouTube and other platforms, including Twitch. He gained 500,000 YouTube followers.

His latest, hour-long video, released on Friday, was entitled, “You thought I was gone! Speed ​​returns!!”

“I’m kind of taking a creative break and determining the future direction of the content,” Naroditsky said. “So, I won’t look too much into it now because I know everyone is interested in playing chess.”

Crystal Springs school official Kelly Sortino said the campus is “deeply saddened by the passing.”

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