Daniel Naroditsky, US chess grandmaster, dies aged 29

The young prodigy's "unexpected passing" was announced by his family on Monday.

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The chess player's family announced his "unexpected" death in a statement released by his club, the Charlotte Chess Center, on Monday. No cause of death was given.

"It is with great sadness that we share the unexpected passing of Daniel Naroditsky," the statement said, adding that he was a "cherished member of the chess community, admired and respected by fans and players around the world."

Naroditsky was famous for his chess YouTube channel, which featured video tutorials and livestreams against competitors, and inspired hundreds of thousands of people across the world to play the game.

Naroditsky's YouTube channel had nearly 500,000 subscribers, and his Twitch stream drummed up 340,000 followers.