Chess.com is creating a trophy to celebrate the life and work of Grandmaster Daniel Naroditsky, who passed away in October.
Chess Grandmaster and popular online creator Daniel Naroditsky, also known as Danya, passed away on October 20th at the age of 29. His death has been met with many heartfelt messages from fans and the chess community.
Naroditsky quickly became a well-known chess player. He started playing at a young age, winning the Northern California K-12 Championship when he was only eleven years old. He followed that success by winning the World Youth title for players under twelve.
The chess community was deeply saddened by his passing. To honor his legacy, a special trophy will be awarded at the Speed Chess Championship starting October 30th. Like the famous Stanley Cup in hockey, the trophy will be engraved with the names of all future winners.
Chess.com reveals Naroditsky Cup in honor of Daniel Naroditsky
I just saw on X that Chess.com is making a really cool change! Starting with the 2025 Speed Chess Championship, the winner will get the Naroditsky Cup. It’s awesome they’re naming the trophy after Hikaru – a well-deserved honor, in my opinion!
Similar to the Stanley Cup in hockey, the names of each year’s winners will be added to the trophy. This will include past winners as well, with their names being engraved retroactively.
The cup will “become the permanent trophy of the SCC,” the organization states.
Sam Copeland, Community Head at Chess.com, clarified that while the event will still be called the Speed Chess Championship, they are also establishing the permanent Naroditsky Cup. This is to honor and remember Danya Naroditsky’s significant impact on chess, especially his fantastic commentary for the event over the years.
Chess players are pleased with this news. Grandmaster Nemo Zhou offered her congratulations, and Anna Cramling showed her support with clapping emojis.
Well done 👏
— Nemo (@akaNemsko) October 30, 2025
The news arrives amid growing calls within the chess world to ban former champion Vladimir Kramnik. He recently accused several top players, including Naroditsky, of cheating.
Despite denying any involvement in Naroditsky’s death, the Russian Grandmaster has reported receiving threats from individuals who believe his statements contributed to the situation.
The 2025 Speed Chess Championship will conclude on February 8, 2026. The tournament boasts a remarkable lineup of top chess players, such as Magnus Carlsen, Hikaru Nakamura, Alireza Firouzja, and Hans Niemann.
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2025-10-31 01:18