US chess grandmaster Daniel Naroditsky dies at 29

"American chess grandmaster Daniel Naroditsky has died unexpectedly at the age of 29, his family said in a statement released by his club, the Charlotte Chess Center, on Monday. It is with great sadness that we share the unexpected passing of Daniel Naroditsky, the family said. list of 4 itemsend of list Daniel was a talented chess player, commentator, and educator, and a cherished member of the chess community. The cause of death was not immediately known."

"Naroditsky became a grandmaster, the highest title in chess aside from World Chess Champion, at the age of 18. Years earlier, the California-born player won the Under 12 world championship and spent his teenage years writing chess strategy books as he climbed the world rankings. He was consistently ranked in the top 200 worldwide for traditional chess and also excelled at a fast-paced style called blitz chess, maintaining a top-25 ranking throughout his adult career."

"Fellow grandmasters credited Naroditsky with introducing the sport to a wider audience by livestreaming many of his matches and sharing live commentary on others. Thousands of people regularly tuned in on YouTube and the interactive streaming platform Twitch to watch Naroditsky play. He loved streaming, and he loved trying to be educational. The chess world is very grateful, Hikaru Nakamura, an American grandmaster, said on a livestream on Monday."

Daniel Naroditsky died unexpectedly at 29; the Charlotte Chess Center released a family statement requesting privacy as they grieve. Naroditsky became a grandmaster at 18 after winning the Under-12 world championship and writing chess strategy books during his teens. He remained consistently ranked in the top 200 worldwide for traditional chess and maintained a top-25 ranking in blitz chess throughout his adult career. He won the United States National Blitz Championship in August and placed ninth in the blitz world championship last year. He streamed extensively on YouTube and Twitch, providing live commentary and chess education to thousands of viewers. Cause of death was not immediately known.

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