From a cult upbringing, to an IM title, to CCO of Chess.com, Dark Squares is the story of Danny Rensch. Hardcover, ebook, and audiobooks available for purchase now! Link below 👇

"Jose is making a lot of people eat their words, people who doubted him, who saw him play so well online. Now he's backing it up over the board," says Howell. Jose Martinez wins 2-0 against Nodirbek Abdusattorov & goes on to round four! chess.com/events/2025-fide-w… #2025FIDEWorldCup

How do you go from barefoot kid to international chess master and co-founder of @chesscom? ♟️ In this first installment of our @alittlebitculty convo with @DanielRensch, we peel back the curtain on his wild journey growing up in the Church of Immortal Consciousness—a high-control Arizona collective commune led by a self-proclaimed trance medium guided by the spirit of “Dr. Duran.” Danny shares what life was like growing up in a merged-finances, communal-living environment fueled by spiritual teachings, EST-style group processing, and just enough bathwater-sharing to make any outsider’s eyebrows shoot up. From childhood freedom and chaos to early red flags, shifting loyalties, and the beginnings of his path out via chess, Danny’s story is a rollercoaster of agency, paradox, and hope. Whether or not you play chess you MUST check out Danny’s memoir, #DarkSquares: How Chess Saved My Life and listen to part 1 now, wherever you get your podcasts. alittlebitculty.com/episode/… #cults #dannyrensch #churchofimmortalconsciousness

"Danya Naroditsky was happiest when he was educating others. The genuine joy he felt in thinking/knowing/feeling that he had found an effective way to explain (and inspire!) someone toward learning chess is what made him happy." (@DanielRensch)

The Naroditsky family shares the sad news of Daniel’s unexpected passing. Daniel was a talented chess player, educator, and beloved member of the chess community. We ask for privacy as the family grieves.