With heavy hearts, we announce the passing
Chess Grandmaster Daniel Naroditsky Dies at 29
A Beloved Teacher and Player
Daniel Naroditsky, the American chess grandmaster and online educator known as “Danya,”
has died at just 29. The Charlotte Chess Center confirmed his passing, calling him “a talented chess player,
educator, and beloved member of the chess community.”
His family asked that he be remembered “for his passion and love for the game.”
A Digital Mentor
Loved for his calm and witty online teaching, Naroditsky inspired hundreds of thousands through YouTube and Twitch.
“He loved streaming, and he loved trying to be educational,” said grandmaster Hikaru Nakamura.
A Life in Chess
Born in 1995 in California, Naroditsky became a grandmaster at 18 and later led the U.S.
Blitz Championship with a perfect 14–0 record.
Remembered with Love
Chess.com’s Danny Rensch said he was “more than an amazing,
inspirational face of our game — he was a friend and brother.”
