FIDE names Best Creator Award in honour of Daniel Naroditsky
FIDE is honoured to announce that the Best Creator category at the inaugural FIDE Excellence Awards will be named The Daniel Naroditsky Best Creator Award. The dedication comes as the chess world continues to honour the memory of Daniel Naroditsky, known to friends and fans as Danya, who passed away in October 2025 – a loss still felt deeply across the chess community. The dedication recognises the extraordinary contribution Naroditsky made as a player, educator, commentator, and content creator. Through his streams and videos, he combined elite chess knowledge with an exceptional ability to make people feel welcome in the game. Shortly after his death, FIDE President Arkady Dvorkovich announced that the federation would establish a special prize in his memory. The naming of the Best Creator category fulfills that commitment within the new FIDE Excellence Awards, launched in June 2026 to honour outstanding achievements, individuals, events, federations, teams, and initiatives across the global chess community. FIDE President Arkady Dvorkovich said: “Danya represented the very best of what a chess player and creator can be. He possessed the strength and understanding of an elite player, but his greatest gift was his ability to share that knowledge clearly and with genuine warmth. He educated, entertained, and inspired people across the world and helped countless players feel closer to chess. “The FIDE Excellence Awards are intended not only to celebrate achievement but also to recognise the people who create success stories throughout our chess world. Naming the Best Creator Award after Daniel is a fitting and lasting tribute to someone whose work set an exceptional standard for the entire chess community.” The announcement comes as the inaugural Naroditsky Memorial Rapid & Blitz is running in Charlotte, North Carolina, at the Charlotte Marriott City Center. The three-day festival held from July 3 to 5 has brought together elite competitors, leading chess creators and the wider community that Danya inspired, with a programme of rapid and blitz championships, a Creator Invitational, and a final featuring the leading performers from the Masters Blitz. The field includes Hikaru Nakamura, Fabiano Caruana, Wesley So, Javokhir Sindarov, Vasyl Ivanchuk and many other leading grandmasters, while the Creator Invitational features prominent figures including Levy Rozman, Alexandra Botez, Eric Rosen, Sagar Shah, John Bartholomew and Danny Rensch. The tournament reflects the unique place Danya occupied in chess: a world-class competitor, a gifted teacher and one of the game’s most respected and beloved creative voices. The Daniel Naroditsky Best Creator Award will ensure that his example continues to inspire future generations of creators who bring chess to new audiences and strengthen the global chess community. The FIDE Excellence Awards were established in 2026 to recognise outstanding achievements and contributions both on and off the board during the 2024-2026 Olympiad cycle. The first nomination stage concluded at the end of June, with hundreds of nominations received by FIDE. The programme now moves to the shortlisting stage, with official shortlists to be announced on July 15, 2026. The inaugural ceremony will take place in Samarkand this September, during the 46th FIDE Chess Olympiad. The programme features 11 categories, including five discretionary awards, with Best Creator now carrying Naroditsky’s name. Official Naroditsky Memorial website: https://www.cltccf.org/naroditskymemorial FIDE Excellence Awards website: https://excellence.fide.com/