US chess grandmaster Daniel Naroditsky dies aged 29

US chess grandmaster and popular YouTube chess commentator Daniel Naroditsky has died aged 29, his family announced on Monday through the Charlotte Chess Centre. No cause of death was given.

The statement described Naroditsky as a “cherished member of the chess community, admired and respected by fans and players around the world.”

Naroditsky, fondly called “Danya” by fans, gained international fame for his chess tutorials and livestreams, which attracted nearly 500,000 YouTube subscribers and over 340,000 Twitch followers. The International Chess Federation said he played a “pivotal role in popularising chess content online.”

“This is a massive loss for the world of chess,” said world number two Hikaru Nakamura. He told the BBC, “he inspired hundreds of thousands of people to play chess – a lot of people loved his videos.”

“When it came to making chess content to help beginners, his was the best,” Nakamura said, adding, “I have played more than a thousand games of chess with Daniel… but Daniel was always calm.”

Born in California, Naroditsky began playing chess at six and won the World Youth Championship Under-12 category in 2007. He earned the grandmaster title as a teenager after winning the 2013 US Junior Championship.

He later graduated from Stanford University and became a chess coach in Charlotte, North Carolina, before joining The New York Times as a chess columnist in 2022.

Fellow chess player Nemo Zhou called him an “inspiration” who “did everything with kindness.”

Fans worldwide have paid tribute, with many crediting him for sparking their love of chess. “He made an impact on thousands of people around the world,” said Zara Graham, a UK fan.