IM Daniel Naroditsky Wins US Junior

IM Daniel Naroditsky in Saint Louis.  Photo credit: CCSCSL

The Bay Area star IM Daniel Naroditsky clinched the 2013 US Junior Invitational with a dominating final round victory against MIT student Robert Perez.  The California master benefited from vast experience far beyond his peers, remaining undefeated and in control throughout the championship at the Chess Club and Scholastic Center of Saint Louis.  Danya won two games with white and two with black, and calmly drew against all of his closest competitors.  Even the tense moments passed within a few moves, leaving the audience to wonder if there was ever any doubt.

Thanks to IM John Donaldson at the Mechanics' Institute for pointing out that Daniel is the third Bay Area star to win the US Junior in four years!  He joins 2010 champ IM Sam Shankland (now a GM) and 2011 winner NM Gregory Young.  Our hopes remain high for future years, especially for 12 year old Sam Sevian who shared second place this year, just 0.5 behind.

In the following contest, Daniel attacks his opponent's IQP and wins an instructive battle.  

10 year old Daniel at 2006 CalChess Scholastics.  He went 5-1
in a K-12 section won by NMs Daniel Schwarz and Drake Wang.

Having conquered his peers, Daniel plans to spend the summer before his senior year at Crystal Springs Uplands School playing chess in Spain and Latvia.  His goal: earn the elusive final norm for the Grandmaster title.  His first two GM norms came at Villa de Benasque two summers ago and the Philadelphia Open this past March.  Good luck Danya!

Check out the official Naroditsky chess website for the latest exciting tournament news.  How many high school students can boast of two published books on their college applications?  Danya can!  Indeed, all of us can learn from Mastering Complex Endgames, a thorough instructional work published last year.  For someone with so many different talents, only the sky is the limit.