As a fifth grader, he became the youngest person ever to win the northern California K – 12 championship according to chess.com. In November 2007, he was named the under 12 world chess champion.
He was awarded the title of international master in 2011 and earned his grandmaster title in 2013 at a tournament in Villa de Benasque, Spain. He was 17 and had yet to finish high school school.
Naroditsky graduated from Stanford University in 2019 with a bachelors degree in history. Though his parents wanted him to pursue a corporate career, he dedicated his life to chess…
Sad story, such a young man, so incredibly talented. But I found that bit about his parents wanting him to pursue a corporate career when he was a chess grand master at age 17 odd. You would think they would continue to encourage the game he plays, and who actually wants their child to pursue a corporate career? Isn’t a corporate career where you end up? Do kids dream about corporate careers? 
Obituary from the New York Times, published in the Minnesota Star Tribune, October 26, 2025
Luke Soiseth 