Chess.com has announced a new trophy to honor the contributions of streamer Grandmaster Daniel Naroditsky after his death in October.
On October 20, chess GM and content creator Daniel Naroditsky, known as Danya, died at the age of 29, prompting an outpouring of tributes from fans and fellow players.
Naroditsky rose to fame as a standout chess talent. He began playing at age six, won the Northern California K-12 Chess Championship at just 11, and soon after claimed the World Youth title in the under-12 division.
His death sent shockwaves throughout the chess world. On October 30, it was revealed that he will be immortalized with a special Speed Chess Championship trophy, and it’ll share a trait with hockey’s greatest prize, the Stanley Cup.
Chess.com reveals Naroditsky Cup in honor of Daniel Naroditsky
In a post on X, Chess.com confirmed that beginning with the 2025 Speed Chess Championship, the winner will be awarded the Naroditsky Cup.
Just like with the Stanley Cup in the NHL, the winner will have their name engraved on the trophy. The engravements will be retroactive, too, with former winners’ names also being added.
The cup will “become the permanent trophy of the SCC,” the organization states.
Head of Community for Chess.com, Sam Copeland, further explained: “The event will remain the Speed Chess Championship, but we are creating a permanent Naroditsky Cup. It is a way for us to celebrate and immortalize Danya’s countless contributions to chess and his contributions directly to this event through his incredible commentary over the years.”
Chess players have welcomed this celebration. Women’s grandmaster Nemo Zhou commented, “well done,” while Anna Cramling applauded the announcement with a series of clapping emojis.
This reveal comes as many in the chess community are calling for former world champion Vladimir Kramnik to be banned from competing after accusing Naroditsky and other star players of cheating.
While the Russian GM denies holding any responsibility for Naroditsky’s death, he has filed a report after receiving violent threats from people claiming that his accusations played a factor.
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