Bengaluru: Occasionally, Nihal Sarin searches for a Chess.com profile, eager to check if the user is online. However, he often finds himself facing disappointment.
Event Context
It’s been about eight months since Nihal faced American grandmaster Daniel Naroditsky for the last time. Naroditsky, 29, tragically passed away at his residence in Charlotte last October. The final online games he played were against the 21-year-old Indian grandmaster, Nihal.
While the two had never met in person, they developed a unique friendship through their extensive online interactions, engaging in over 2,000 games of blitz and bullet chess over the years.
After becoming the first Indian player to win the Bullet Chess Championship last weekend, Nihal immediately thought of Naroditsky. He dedicated the victory to his late friend, reflecting, “We have played endless bullet and hyperbullet games, which definitely contributed to my growth as a player.”
Nihal recalls the difficult days preceding Naroditsky’s death, noting that they had communicated during a challenging time when Naroditsky was facing cheating accusations from former world champion Vladimir Kramnik.
On Friday, the FIDE Ethics and Disciplinary Commission imposed a two-year ban on Kramnik from participating in FIDE events, stemming from his online comments regarding Naroditsky and GM David Navara. This included a one-year active suspension, accompanied by a year of unpaid service to the chess community as part of the sanctions.
“Those accusations were completely absurd. Danya would be the last person to consider cheating. There was absolutely no motive. I had reached out to him the day before, assuring him everything would turn out fine. He was clearly distressed, and I had no idea it was that serious,” Nihal expressed.
When Nihal received the news of Naroditsky’s passing while competing at the European Club Cup in Rhodes, Greece, he was “shocked and devastated. It was horrible.”
In the weeks following, Nihal found it hard to engage with chess. “I didn’t even log into Chess.com for a few weeks, which is unusual for me. I typically log in regularly.”
Nihal was set to participate in the inaugural Naroditsky Memorial Rapid and Blitz tournament from July 3-5 in Charlotte, North Carolina. However, he had to withdraw due to visa issues, despite the event being a significant chess festival featuring top players, content creators, and a $50,000 prize pool. Notable participants included Hikaru Nakamura, Fabiano Caruana, and World Championship challenger Javokhir Sindarov, with Aravindh Chithambaram being the only Indian entrant.
“I would have loved to attend, but I don’t have a US visa. Unfortunately, there wasn’t enough time for it to be processed before the tournament, so I had to make the tough decision to skip it,” Nihal said.
Naroditsky was a multifaceted figure in the chess world—an accomplished grandmaster, author, streamer, and beloved commentator. “He and Robert Hess made a fantastic team—definitely my favorite. Danya was one of the most intelligent players to ever engage with chess. He was a true genius,” Nihal remarked.
Nihal acknowledged the profound influence that Naroditsky had on him, saying, “I always looked forward to meeting him in person, but that never happened. We were certainly good friends. He had a gentle nature and was incredibly supportive, especially when I was struggling to make my mark in classical chess. He always believed in me.”
Reflecting on his recent victory at the Bullet Chess Championship, Nihal stated, “If Danya were here, he would have been so proud of me.” He then added with a smile, “But if he were present, he might have been the one winning the tournament.”
Player Focus
Danya was the go-to player I could always count on for an engaging match. It’s rare to find a strong opponent who is willing to play consistently over time. He was that one player who would almost certainly agree to a match, and we enjoyed countless 30-second games together. Danya was a formidable force in those games—on his best days, he ranked among the elite in the world. Typically, I could expect a challenge from Danya as soon as I logged into the game. Since his passing, I often find myself visiting his profile, hoping to see him online again.
