Magnus Carlsen on Daniel Naroditsky, “It’s a great loss. It’s very sad for all of us” [UPDATED]

Daniel Naroditsky, the acclaimed American chess grandmaster, author, streamer, and beloved commentator affectionately known as “Danya,” tragically passed away. The sad and shocking news overwhelmed the chess world and left the community in dismay and shock. Daniel Naroditsky was not only a great player, but a fantastic streamer and educator, a true ambassador of the chess game. One of the frequents tributes on social media today reads, “I started playing chess because of Daniel Naroditsky”

Magnus Carlsen said, quoted by Take Take Take, “It’s a great loss. It’s very sad for all of us that somebody who was such a resource to the chess community and also had a universally high approval rating from everybody he met was led to the place that he was.”

Carlsen added, “I knew Naroditsky for many years. We were not 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 very respectful, very nice. […] I spent many many hours not only watching his games, but watching his streams, which were both exciting for his incredible game playing, but also great explanations. Funnily, he was with me during two of my biggest moments. Last year I played him famously a few games on my wedding night […] and I played with him a few games from the hospital while we were waiting for the delivery”

Carlsen continued, “With the whole Kramnik situation, not only Naroditsky (from the beginning I would say). Obviously I have had problems with him in the past, not like big problems but generally, for all his greatness, I generally thought that he was somebody who had a bit of a better reputation than that he deserved for many reasons. But I did feel he was staring his ‘crusade’ against cheating online, I did feel that, that at the start, even though I didn’t agree with his numbers,I thought at the end of the day he is kind of fighting the good fight […] but I turned on his head completely. First of all he started to go after Hikaru, which seemed crazy […] That was bad in itself, but when he started going after Naroditsky so hard… […] I do not think anybody thought Naroditsky was cheating and I know that coming from me […] some people will say I have very little credibility on the matter, but in private I expressed to [Naroditsky] that I was sorry what he is going through and supported him. Probably I should have done that publicly as well. I think people can understand some of the reasons why I was reluctant […] I though the way [Kramnik] was going after Naroditsky was horrible, and seeing how it affected him as well […] , it had clearly taken him to a point where he was not in a great space.”

Daniel Naroditsky passes away timeline

20.10 Daniel Naroditsky passes away
20.10 2700 club players mourn the passing of Daniel Naroditsky
20.10 The chess world mourns the passing away of Daniel Naroditsky
20.10 Fellow streamers react to the passing of Daniel Naroditsky
21.10 NY Times, where Daniel Naroditsky was columnist, with a tribute for Danya
21.10 Honoring Daniel Naroditsky, a video tribute to Danya
21.10 Magnus Carlsen on Daniel Naroditsky, “It’s a great loss. It’s very sad for all of us”