Overview
- The Charlotte Chess Center shared a statement from Naroditsky’s family on Monday announcing his unexpected passing and requesting privacy.
- Tributes poured in from across the chess community, including Hikaru Nakamura, FIDE, and peers, with the U.S. Chess Championship in St. Louis observing a moment of silence.
- A former world youth champion, Naroditsky became a grandmaster at 18 and recently won the 2025 U.S. National Blitz Championship, maintaining elite blitz rankings.
- He was a prominent educator and commentator with large audiences on YouTube and Twitch, posting a final video on October 17 after a brief creative break.
- Some social media posts and comments by former world champion Vladimir Kramnik raised unverified concerns about the circumstances, while officials and family have disclosed no details.