The chess world is reeling from a profound tragedy following the death of American grandmaster Daniel Naroditsky. The 29-year-old was found dead at his home in Charlotte, North Carolina, after a distressing final live stream that laid bare a deep personal crisis, allegedly triggered by a sustained campaign of cheating allegations from former world champion Vladimir Kramnik.
A Distressing Final Broadcast
The grandmaster’s last moves are preserved in a heartbreaking two-and-a-half-hour video on YouTube, depicting the penultimate morning of his life. To his 800,000 social media followers, the setting was familiar: Naroditsky at his home office desk, commentating on his online blitz games. But this stream, in the early hours of a Saturday, was terrifyingly different.
It wasn't the uncharacteristic string of ten consecutive losses that alarmed viewers most, but his erratic and agitated behaviour. Within minutes, he alluded to a man he believed was trying to ruin his life. Forty-three minutes in, a monologue revealed his torment: ‘I could not live if I knew that some carry the notion that I am morally bankrupt.’
The Stanford graduate, a world champion at 12 and published author by 14, was seen grabbing his hair and thumping his fist on the table, switching between English and Russian. Concerned subscribers flooded the comments, asking if he was okay, prompting a real-time welfare check.
Friends' Intervention and a Devastating Admission
Two of his closest friends, Ukrainian grandmaster Oleksandr Bortnyk and chess club head Peter Giannatos, arrived at his house between 1am and 2am. On the stream, their voices are heard pleading with him, referred to as Danya, to stop. ‘You’ve gotta go to sleep, man,’ Giannatos urged.
Naroditsky, upset, replied: ‘I know, just give me a few more games… I set a 2am curfew, what’s the matter?’ After winning two final games, Giannatos became more forceful: ‘Danya, finish the stream.’ When Naroditsky asked to ‘end on the next loss,’ Giannatos threatened to unplug the computer.
Naroditsky’s next words were devastating: ‘The problem is, since the Kramnik stuff, I feel like if I start doing well, people assume the worst of intentions.’ Giannatos reassured him, ‘You don’t have to prove anything to those people.’ Naroditsky started one final game before ending the broadcast. He was found dead on his couch by Bortnyk the next day.
The 'Sinister Figure' and Chess's Cheating Epidemic
The man haunting Naroditsky was Vladimir Kramnik, the Russian grandmaster who dethroned Garry Kasparov to become world champion in 2000. In 2024, Kramnik began a campaign of unsubstantiated allegations, suggesting Naroditsky cheated by looking at another screen and inflating his rating. He posted lengthy videos explaining his theories, continuing even after Naroditsky’s death.
Few in chess took Kramnik’s claims seriously, viewing him as a conspiracy theorist protesting a ‘chess mafia’. However, the accusations became a toxin for Naroditsky, whose livelihood as a streamer and commentator depended on his credibility. ‘There was nothing more important to Daniel than his dignity and his name as a chess player,’ his mother told Daily Mail Sport. ‘The ex-world champion was trying to say he's a cheater.’
Cheating is a pervasive issue in online chess, especially since its Covid boom. With 200 million users on chess.com alone, detecting engine-assisted cheating is immensely difficult. High-profile cases include Ukrainian Kirill Schevchenko, who had his GM title revoked for hiding a phone in a toilet, and the $100 million defamation suit between Magnus Carlsen and Hans Niemann.
Fury, Backlash and a FIDE Investigation
The chess community has reacted with fury. World number two Hikaru Nakamura, also accused by Kramnik, stated: ‘Kramnik can go f*** himself and rot in hell.’ World champion Magnus Carlsen called Kramnik’s crusade ‘horrible’, adding, ‘I thought the way he was going after Naroditsky was horrible.’
Indian grandmaster Nihal Sarin was even more blunt, telling the Indian Express: ‘He (Kramnik) has kind of literally taken a life.’ He compared Kramnik’s methods to ‘burn[ing] down a city to catch some cheaters’.
Chess’s governing body, FIDE, is now scrutinising Kramnik’s conduct. CEO Emil Sutovsky criticised the ‘vigilante’ naming and shaming, stating, ‘The way he approaches it simply can’t be accepted.’ Meanwhile, Charlotte police have confirmed an active investigation into Naroditsky’s death.
In a cryptic social media post, Kramnik claimed he had contacted Charlotte police ‘to investigate the death of Daniel, providing them some additional info.’ He also stated his legal team was preparing action against those sending him abusive messages.
The tragedy has exposed the dark underbelly of elite chess, where unfounded allegations, amplified online, can have devastating real-world consequences. As the sport mourns a brilliant and beloved figure, it faces urgent questions about how to protect its players from such destructive campaigns.
