The chess world has been rocked by the tragic death of American grandmaster Daniel Naroditsky, whose passing is currently under investigation as a possible suicide. Naroditsky, aged 29, was found dead in his home in Charlotte, North Carolina, last weekend by close friends, including grandmaster Oleksandr Bortnyk and Peter Giannatos, founder of the Charlotte Chess Center where Naroditsky served as head coach and grandmaster-in-residence. The Charlotte-Mecklenburg police department reported that officers responded to an assist medic call on the evening of October 19th, discovering Naroditsky unresponsive and later pronounced deceased. Although the exact cause of death has not been publicly confirmed, police documents describe the investigation as involving “Death/suicide/overdose/Sudden/Natural Death.”
Naroditsky was a prominent figure in the chess community, widely admired for both his exceptional skill and his engaging streaming content. A Stanford-educated prodigy and former world youth champion, he built a substantial following on platforms like Twitch and YouTube, where over 800,000 fans tuned in to watch his games and commentary. Known affectionately as Danya, Naroditsky was celebrated for his humor, clear explanations, and humility, making him a beloved voice during the chess boom that followed the pandemic. He was also highly competitive in fast-paced formats, having placed ninth in the 2023 World Blitz Championship in New York.
However, Naroditsky’s final months were overshadowed by controversy and distress. The turmoil largely stemmed from accusations made by former world champion Vladimir Kramnik, who publicly alleged that Naroditsky had engaged in online cheating—claims for which no evidence was provided. Kramnik, 50, who reigned as world champion from 2000 to 2007 after dethroning Garry Kasparov, has a history of making similar accusations against other players. These claims have been widely condemned as baseless and damaging. In fact, in 2023, the online chess platform Chess.com banned Kramnik from posting due to his repeated “baseless and damaging” allegations.
In the wake of Naroditsky’s death, Kramnik broke his silence in a statement posted on X (formerly Twitter), describing the grandmaster’s passing as a tragedy and offering condolences. However, he vehemently denied any personal responsibility or malicious intent, accusing critics of launching an “unprecedentedly cynical and unlawful campaign of harassment” against him and his family. Kramnik insisted that, despite their tensions, he was the only person in the chess community who had publicly expressed concern about Naroditsky’s health after noticing “obvious health issues” in a video recorded a day before the death, calling for him to receive help.
Kramnik also maintained that his earlier requests for an investigation into Naroditsky’s online play had been ignored despite what he described as “a significant amount of evidence.” He promised to provide relevant authorities with any material he possessed and said his lawyers were preparing civil and criminal lawsuits against those spreading “false accusations” that have led to threats directed at him and his family. Furthermore, he welcomed the ongoing criminal investigation into Naroditsky’s death in the United States and offered to assist with “important non-public information.” Kramnik concluded by affirming that he was in good physical and mental health and had no intention of harming himself.
The reaction from the chess community to Kramnik’s conduct has been overwhelmingly critical. Prominent players and commentators have voiced strong condemnation. Hikaru Nakamura, one of the leading figures in modern chess, described Kramnik’s behavior as “disgusting.” Magnus Carlsen, the five-time world champion, called it “horrible.” Indian grandmaster Nihal Sarin, who played against Naroditsky in his final online match, accused Kramnik of “taking a life” through his vigilante-style campaign against alleged cheaters, calling the approach “completely unacceptable” and ineffective.
The International Chess Federation (FIDE), the governing body of international chess, has expressed serious concerns about Kramnik’s behavior. FIDE chief executive Emil Sutovsky told Reuters that Kramnik’s methods “simply can’t be accepted.” The organization is currently reviewing Kramnik’s conduct and has announced plans to honor Naroditsky posthumously with a memorial award. FIDE