The famous grandmaster died a few weeks before his 30th birthday

American grandmaster Daniel Naroditsky has died at the age of 29. This was reported by the press service of the International Chess Federation (FIDE).

"Daniel was a talented chess player, commentator and educator, as well as a respected member of the chess community who was admired by fans and players around the world," said the official FIDE statement.

The cause of death has not been disclosed. He would have turned 30 on November 9.

Naroditsky ranked 151st in the FIDE world ranking and 17th among US chess players. He became the world champion among players under 12, participated in US championships and was the author of books about chess. In his last tournament - Charlotte Open in September 2025 - Naroditsky shared 3-4 places, scoring 5.5 out of 8 possible points.

In 2025, he defeated Ukrainian grandmaster Vasily Ivanchuk at the World Blitz Championship, which led to an emotional reaction from his opponent. Ivanchuk lost due to time expiration in a winning endgame and could not hold back tears, as had already happened in 1991 after his defeat to Nigel Short.