Chess grandmaster Daniel Naroditsky dies at 29

Daniel Naroditsky, a U.S. chess grandmaster, commentator and educator, died unexpectedly on Oct. 20, his family said in a statement released by the Charlotte Chess Center, where he served as Grandmaster in Residence. He was 29. The family did not disclose a cause of death and asked for privacy while they grieve.

"It is with great sadness that we share the unexpected passing of Daniel Naroditsky," the statement said, adding that he was "a talented chess player, commentator, and educator, and a cherished member of the chess community." The center posted the statement on its social channels and confirmed Naroditsky had been affiliated with the organization for several years.

Born in California in 1995 to immigrant parents, Naroditsky emerged as a chess prodigy. He began playing at age six, won the Northern California K12 Championship at 11 and captured the Under 12 section of the World Youth Chess Championship in 2007. He published a book, Mastering Positional Chess, while still in his teens and earned the grandmaster title in 2013. He was awarded the Samford Chess Fellowship in 2014, a recognition given to promising American players.

Over the next decade Naroditsky competed at...