When did Daniel Naroditsky start playing chess? Grandmaster's complete career details explored as he dies at 29

Chess grandmaster Daniel Naroditsky died on October 19, 2025 at the age of 29. The news was confirmed by the Charlotte Chess Center where he was a Grandmaster-in-Residence but the cause of death was not reported.

His YouTube, Twitch, and chess articles helped him develop a massive fan base online. His professional journey demonstrated that chess could become more than a game.

He started his career at the tender age of 6, and his life over the years had seen him emerge as one of the most regarded leaders in the American chess.

Daniel Naroditsky's early life and rise in chess

Daniel Naroditsky began to play chess when he was six years old. He was taught the ropes by his father in their San Mateo, California home. He was drawn to chess fast and at only 11 years old, he was already competing and winning local events.

At 12 years of age in 2007, he participated in the Under-12 category of the World Youth Chess Championship where he was awarded the gold medal. This won him the FIDE Master. He became a member of the Mechanics’ Institute Chess Club in San Francisco, one of the oldest chess clubs in the United States.

Naroditsky wrote his first book, Mastering Positional Chess when he was 14. It also led to him becoming the youngest published chess authors in the world at that time. It was through his writing that he was able to describe the chess concepts in an understandable way which would later become part of his teaching method.

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Daniel Naroditsky's career achievements and teaching work

After a number of good performances in the events, Daniel Naroditsky was named an International Master in 2011. At the age of 18, he was made a Grandmaster. It was also during this time that he won the U.S. Junior Championship the same year, which became one of the determining moments in his young professional career.

In 2014, he won the Samford Chess Fellowship, which assists young American players achieve their potential. He was a co-champion on the same year in the Millionaire Chess Open. As at May 2017, he recorded highest FIDE classical rating of 2647.

In addition to tournaments Naroditsky paid attention to the teaching and dissemination of his knowledge. He grew into one of the most popular teachers of chess online on YouTube and Twitch. He contributed to Chess Life and The New York Times as well, working at HC Charlotte Chess Center, mentoring young players. Through his online lessons and commentary many people got to know and enjoy chess.

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