R.I.P. KING

American Chess Grandmaster Dies Unexpectedly at 29

He was given the game’s highest award at the age of 18.

One of the finest chess players in the U.S., Daniel Naroditsky, has died aged 29. His death was announced by his chess club, the Charlotte Chess Center. “Daniel was a talented chess player, educator, and cherished member of the chess community,” it said. “He was also a loving son, brother, and loyal friend.” He worked across various parts of the game, with Chess.com describing him as a “U.S. grandmaster, commentator, creator, educator, and author.” Tributes have poured in for the San Mateo, California, native who reached the top 150 players globally and was ranked 17th in the U.S. Fellow grandmaster Oleksandr Bortnyk said, “He was a very good guy. A very kind guy. He was a good friend.” He was made grandmaster, the highest rank in the International Chess Federation, in 2013 when he was just 18. Chess.com’s chief Chess officer, Danny Rensch, said, “Danya was more than an amazing, inspirational face of our game. He was a friend and brother. The news is devastating for the chess world and all who knew him. It’s impossible to put words to this kind of loss.” His cause of death and where he died are unknown.