News
Carlsen, Top Players Pay Tribute To Naroditsky As Chess World Mourns
Daniel Naroditsky (1995-2025). Photo: Maria Emelianova/Chess.com.

Carlsen, Top Players Pay Tribute To Naroditsky As Chess World Mourns

Avatar of TarjeiJS
TarjeiJS
| 141 | Chess.com News

The chess world is mourning after the heartbreaking death of GM Daniel Naroditsky, a loss that has sparked an unprecedented wave of tributes from fans and top players such as GMs Magnus Carlsen, Hikaru Nakamura, Fabiano Caruana, and Levon Aronian. 

The 29-year-old American grandmaster was one of the most beloved figures in the chess world, as a player, commentator, author, teacher, and streamer whose humor and warmth brought countless fans closer to the game.

During this week's Take Take Take stream of Titled Tuesday, Carlsen shared an emotional reaction to the passing. 

"We weren't close, but we played a ton of games against each other online, and he was always first of all a great opponent, but also very respectful, very nice," Carlsen said. "I spent many, many hours not only watching his games but also watching his streams, which were both exciting for his incredible gameplay but also great explanations."

I spent many, many hours not only watching his games but also watching his streams...
—Magnus Carlsen

Naroditsky was the eighth most active titled player on Chess.com, having played more than 140,000 games, including 589 against Carlsen since 2017. The world number-one also revealed that he had played Naroditsky during two of the most important moments of his life.

"I played him famously a few games on my wedding night. [...] I decided to play a few games, and I thought, regardless of what happens, it would be a funny story, and kind of because of that, I decided to play a few games from the hospital bed as well when we were waiting for the delivery."

He concluded: "It’s a great loss. It’s very, very sad for all of us that somebody who was such a resource to the chess community—and who had a universally high approval rating from everybody he met—was led to the place that he was."

It’s very, very sad for all of us...
—Magnus Carlsen

Naroditsky famously beat Caruana during the 2021 U.S. Chess Championship. Photo: Lennart Ootes
Naroditsky famously beat Caruana during the 2021 U.S. Chess Championship. Photo: Lennart Ootes.

Nakamura was among the first to react to the tragic news while in St. Louis, where he is attending the 2025 U.S. Chess Championship. "I'm devastated. This is a massive loss for the world of chess," Nakamura shared in a post on X.

Later, during a live stream, a visibly emotional Nakamura spoke about his relationship with Naroditsky:. "I am okay. I don't have a single memory that I will always have of Danya, but what I will always remember more than anything else is his love for the game of chess."

He also shared what he wished he could tell Naroditsky.“If there’s one thing I could say to him, it would probably be to remember all the good things, all the positive comments. Whether it’s on your videos, whether it was on your stream. To remember the positivity and to not let the negativity get you down,” he said.

Another tribute came from world number-three Caruana, a longtime colleague and friend. He described Naroditsky as "so loved in the chess world."

“He was incredibly talented—as a chess player, but also as a teacher, writer, and commentator,” Caruana wrote on X. “His passion for chess shone through when he was commentating and when he was competing. He was full of personality, fiercely intelligent, witty, funny, and most of all, very kind and generous.”

He was full of personality, fiercely intelligent, witty, funny, and most of all, very kind and generous.
—Fabiano Caruana

GM Levon Aronian joined many in calling for reflection and unity following the death, saying: "He was a kind soul, a person who cared about our game and loved people,” Aronian wrote. "One thing I am sure of. He would not want his death to enrage people and make us look for vengeance."

"Losing a young and talented person like this is very hard, and to look for answers and to blame people is not going to do anything good to us. Let us unite and aim to stop the cycle of hatred. Honor Danya’s legacy by providing help against cyberbullying."

Neither the Charlotte Chess Center, which first announced his death, nor the authorities have released a cause of death. His close friend GM Oleksandr Bortnyk, a Ukrainian grandmaster living in Charlotte, North Carolina, shared more details during a stream on Monday.

Bortnyk said he visited Naroditsky's house together with FM Peter Giannatos, the Executive Director of the Charlotte Chess Center, after Naroditsky had been unresponsive to text messages and calls. They saw from the window that the TV was on and Naroditsky was seemingly asleep on the couch. They had a key and could access his house, where they found a lifeless Naroditsky. 

Bortnyk later posted a tribute to his friend.

Naroditsky’s passing has been covered widely by global media, including The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Guardian,  and El País in Spain.

Local outlets such as San Francisco’s ABC 7 also paid tribute with a segment. “Daniel was a remarkable communicator,” said Alex Robins, Chess Director at the Mechanics’ Institute, where Naroditsky first started playing chess. “It’s remarkable how many people felt a close connection with him, even those who never met him in person.”

Meanwhile, on Tuesday, the full VOD of Naroditsky's final stream from October 17 was reposted on YouTube and has wrapped up more than 200,000 views on the newly created account. A few days after his final stream, Naroditsky had removed all of his streams from Twitch.

In it, he spoke about the toll of being accused of cheating by GM Vladimir Kramnik. The 29-year-old has previously called the accusations “a sustained, evil, and absolutely unhinged attempt to destroy my life.”

In the stream’s final moments, Naroditsky appears to grow drowsy before ending with a farewell that many fans have since echoed: "Thanks everybody. Thanks for all the support through thick and thin. I will play a few more games, try to get that rating back up, and we'll take it from there. All right, thanks everybody. Be well. Be healthy. Be safe."

Thanks, everybody. Be well. Be healthy. Be safe.
—Daniel Naroditsky

Warning: this content could be experienced as disturbing.

In the wake of Naroditsky’s death, several notable players such as GM Nihal Sarin and FM Nemo Zhou have publicly urged FIDE to take disciplinary action against Kramnik for what they described as “relentless, baseless accusations.”

Nihal said, "the chess world has lost one of its brightest lights, and described Naroditsky as "someone who made our game accessible to millions."

Zhou wrote:

On Wednesday, FIDE President Arkady Dvorkovich, responded to the growing outcry by releasing a statement confirming that he has filed a complaint against Kramnik to FIDE Ethics & Disciplinary Commission. FIDE also announced on Tuesday that they will establish a special prize dedicated to Naroditsky's memory.

The chess community has long respected the achievements of GM Vladimir Kramnik, and his contributions to our sport are undeniable. The same high standards that accompany great achievements, however, also confer a responsibility to uphold the principles of fairness and respect and to be ambassadors for the sport. 

Therefore, I, along with the FIDE Management Board, will formally refer all relevant public statements made by GM Vladimir Kramnik — both before and after the tragic death of GM Daniel Naroditsky — to the FIDE Ethics and Disciplinary Commission for independent consideration. 

Peter Doggers contributed to this story.

More from TarjeiJS
Grandmaster, Popular Commentator Daniel Naroditsky Tragically Passes Away At 29

Grandmaster, Popular Commentator Daniel Naroditsky Tragically Passes Away At 29

Norway Chess Launches New FIDE-Approved 'Total Chess World Championship Tour'

Norway Chess Launches New FIDE-Approved 'Total Chess World Championship Tour'