Local youth wins chess championship

Often when Daniel Naroditsky approaches a chess table, judges tell the 12-year-old he’s in the wrong place.

But Naroditsky is not a serious chess fan who got too close. He earned the right to sit at the table. The Foster City preteen often needs to sit on a booster to view the whole board when challenging adults. Whatever height he has is not a hindrance when it comes time to play. Late last month, Naroditsky became the world champion in the boys under 12 division in Antalya, Turkey. The victory earned him the title of Federation Internationale des Echecs Master.

"Chess is it’s own world,” Naroditsky said in a calm, soft voice. "I enjoy being in it and staying in it; the tactics and strategies.”

Naroditsky was born in San Mateo and began playing chess at 6-and-a-half years old against his father, Vladimir, and his older brother, Alan.

One year later, Naroditsky won his first tournament in Burlingame. That’s when Naroditsky knew he was pretty good.

He’s come a long way since winning his first tournament. For the past several years, Naroditsky has been the number one rated player in the United States in his age category and a member of the All-America Chess Team – which was created in 1987 to honor the best chess players ages 18 and younger.

To reach such goals requires dedication. Naroditsky practices an hour and a half on weekdays and three hours per day on weekends. He reads books on the topic and plays online to practice.

Naroditsky earned two National Scholastic Championships, three California Scholastic Championships and in 2007 he won the High School Scholastic Championship of Northern California. The high school title earned Naroditsky the opportunity to compete against the other high school champions. Naroditsky could not compete, however, since the national competition rules only allow high school-aged players to participate, Naroditsky’s father explained.

Two years ago marked the beginning of Naroditsky playing internationally. In France he took fifth place in the boys under 10 division. The following year, Naroditsky won the bronze medal at the Pan-American Youth Chess Festival in Cuenca, Ecuador in the boys under 12 division.

Along with his numerous trophies, which are proudly on display when you visit his home, Naroditsky is ranked as a national master – a title earned by U.S. players who have achieved a ranking over 2200. Naroditsky currently has a 2234 ranking in the United States Chess Federation.

The key to dealing with the bigger competitions is keeping a regimen. Naroditsky gets lots of sleep and rest in between matches to keep his focus, explained his mother Lena Naroditsky.

Each game can take hours. In the most recent competition, Naroditsky played 11 games, sometimes playing two a day.

"Often people think chess is just about moving the pieces,” Naroditsky said. "That it’s not ... as physical as baseball or football, that you’re exerting energy when using the chessboard … They think it’s nothing.”

Naroditsky doesn’t agree.

It’s a physical and mental challenge he loves. Naroditsky hopes to become a grandmaster – the highest honor a chess player can receive — by the time he is 17 or 18. Despite his big dreams, Naroditsky does not want to become a professional player — they don’t make much, he said.

Naroditsky dedicates an equal amount of interest and ambition toward his academics while attending Crystal Springs Uplands School in Hillsborough. He enjoys geography, especially researching parts of Africa that are hard to research.

Someday, Naroditsky hopes to become a historian or a scientist — two areas of study he really enjoys.

Regardless of where he ends up, Naroditsky wants to maintain chess as a hobby.

For those looking to get started in the sport, Naroditsky has some simple advice: Never give up and keep practicing.

Heather Murtagh can be reached by e-mail: heather@smdailyjournal.com or by phone: (650) 344-5200 ext. 105.