As the chess world digests the devastating news of the passing of Grandmaster Daniel Naroditsky, I found myself thinking back to our first interview in August of 2020 (Episode 191).  At the time, as chess boomed during the pandemic, Danya was ascending from promising young American player to chess commentating superstar. In the interview  Danya’s eloquence, empathy, and hilarious impersonations  were on full display. It is among the most listened-to Perpetual Chess episodes in the podcast's 9 year history. Danya's loss is immense and I extend my deepest condolences to his family, friends and many fans. - BenBen’s tribute and introduction following Danya’s passing (2025) 2020 Interview with Danya begins- Introduction to Danya’s chess background and early achievementsDanya on listening to Perpetual Chess and favorite episodesDiscussion of the Hikaru–Magnus finale and Armageddon tiebreaksEarly fascination with blitz and bullet chess; childhood training habitsBlitz addiction story and lessons from IM John DonaldsonPractical tips on blitz improvement — tactics, intuition, and time managementDeep dive into time management and “15-second rule” from Hikaru analysisStories of playing Magnus and Alireza online; Rebecca Harris account originEtiquette and psychology of elite bullet matchesWhat Danya works on to improve; paradox of bullet skill vs. classical weaknessBalancing streaming, teaching, and training during COVIDUntapped potential and thoughts on improvement as a 2600+ GMThe continuing value of classical chess in a fast-paced worldTeaching and streaming as dual passions; insights on Twitch cultureStreaming schedule, viewer expectations, and sustainabilityThe pressures and pitfalls of Twitch streaming; handling trollsPatreon questions: notebooks, writing process, and early booksHow Mastering Positional Chess came to be; influence of Russian literatureFormative chess books and lessons from Kasparov and Soviet literatureAdvice for adult improvers: training priorities and tactical habitsReflections on commentary, pedagogy, and love of teachingPhoto in thumbnail via Charlotte Chess Center:https://www.charlottechesscenter.org/staff/gm-daniel-naroditsky Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices