285) Daniel (Danya) Naroditsky, 1995-2025

The chess world received some extremely sad news yesterday, with the loss of GM Daniel Naroditsky. He was without a doubt one of the most-loved people in the international community of chess, and has left a legacy of teaching, brilliance, and inspiring players from newbies to the veterans. His career is astonishing and a testament to how he strove for excellence, which is something everyone can embrace in their own lives, and live better lives as a result. His legacy will be remembered by untold millions of people, worldwide.

I was heartened that my own club paid tribute to him before the most recent tournament, at least one member knowing him personally, and with nothing but praise for Danya's influence on so many people. It was an emotional moment, and the speaker took the opportunity to remind people, if you're suffering, reach out; if you know someone who is struggling, reach out. And if you feel like you have nowhere to turn, reach out anyway; there are counselling services and crisis lines available to everyone, no matter who you are, no matter what's going on in your life, and THEY WILL HELP YOU.

I also have to note, that while the cause of death is currently not public knowledge, it is widely known that Daniel was subject to intense harrassment and bullying by former world champion, Vladimir Kramnik, over the past many months. Daniel had spoken openly about how stressful, upsetting and destabilizing this bullying was, and he's not the only one to have been subjected to, and harmed by, Kramnik's personal attacks.

It is not known whether Kramnik's persecution of Daniel led to his death, but it is most certainly known that it caused him immense emotional turmoil.

This is a reminder that it is on all of us to stand up for people being mistreated. They may be rich, famous, brilliant, literal Grandmasters even, but they can be harmed, severely, by the actions of one asshole who decides to target them.

We talk about bullying with kids in elementary school, and we talk about taking responsibility to stand up for people being picked on. But this doesn't stop in childhood. People are bullied in their families. They are bullied in their relationships. They are bullied in their workplaces. They are bullied in the public spotlight. And they are bullied online.

And it takes a toll. My own life has elements of this in the past, and I've lost many years, and a career, to the consequences of it. People lose their confidence, opportunities, sanity, finances, their health, even their lives.

And just like with politics, this is all because of a small minority of people who are, frankly, assholes. AND it's because the rest of us "don't want to get involved".

I've lost respect, entirely, for people who take that approach, especially with their loved ones. Choosing "peace of mind" over standing up for the people you care about, is unconscionable. It's cowardice. And if you dress it up as wisdom, and "choosing peace", then it's also sheer hypocrisy, because allowing harm to come to others through your own inaction is pretty much the same as causing it yourself.

So, Daniel Naroditsky is now gone from this world. And while the cause of his death is unknown, the cause of his suffering is not. It was bullying, plain and simple. And it was allowed because of the people who had the power to intervene, chose not to.

May this be a lesson for us all. And may we take better care of the people we say we care about.

Rest in peace, Danya.