The chess world is reeling in the wake of the sudden death of American grandmaster Daniel Naroditsky, as the international chess community confronts a growing crisis over bullying, harassment, and the limits of public accusation. Naroditsky, who passed away at the age of 29, was not only an elite competitor—ranked among the world’s top blitz players and the 2025 US National Blitz Champion—but also a beloved educator, commentator, and online personality with a massive following on YouTube and Twitch.
News of Naroditsky’s death was announced on Monday, October 20, 2025, by his family through the Charlotte Chess Center in North Carolina, where he trained and coached. The cause of death has not been disclosed. The announcement sent shockwaves through the chess community, which had already been embroiled in controversy following a year-long campaign of cheating allegations leveled at Naroditsky by former World Chess Champion Vladimir Kramnik.
Kramnik, who held the world title from 2000 to 2007 and remains one of the sport’s most influential figures, began publicly accusing Naroditsky of cheating in online chess in October 2024. He continued to share his suspicions across social media platforms and interviews for nearly a year, consistently failing to provide substantial evidence. The relentless nature of these claims—and their reverberations throughout the chess world—sparked heated debate about ethics, fairness, and the consequences of public accusation in the digital age.
Naroditsky categorically denied the allegations. During his final Twitch livestream on Sunday, October 19, 2025, he spoke candidly about the psychological toll Kramnik’s campaign had taken on him. “Ever since the Kramnik stuff, I feel like if I start doing well, people assume the worst of intentions. The issue is just the lingering effect of it,” Naroditsky said, adding that Kramnik had once been among his “heroes.” The emotional weight of the accusations was clear, as Naroditsky described the lasting impact on his career and well-being.
The World Chess Federation (FIDE), the sport’s international governing body, has launched an independent investigation into Kramnik’s conduct. FIDE president Arkady Dvorkovich, speaking to CNN and other outlets, called Kramnik’s accusations “reckless and unfounded,” emphasizing the organization’s commitment to upholding fairness and respect. “Our Fair Play Commission is reviewing this. I personally, and our leadership, decided to refer this to our Ethics Committee for an independent investigation. We believe that any form of bullying or harassment is unacceptable in any sphere of life—in sport, particularly in chess,” Dvorkovich stated.
He further explained that “any punishment is possible” for Kramnik, depending on the outcome of the Ethics Committee’s review. Dvorkovich also acknowledged the broader dangers of unchecked public debate in chess, noting, “In recent times, public debate within the chess world has too often moved beyond the boundaries of acceptable, harming not only people’s reputation but their very well-being. When this happens, discussions can turn into harassment, bullying, and personal attacks—a particularly serious concern in today’s environment.”
FIDE requires substantial evidence to open a cheating investigation and may sanction players who make unfounded accusations. There were no documented investigations into Naroditsky himself—only the campaign against him. The organization’s anti-cheating laws are clear: accusations based on emotion or insufficient data are grounds for disciplinary action, and the federation has promised to take “appropriate action” if harassment or bullying is found.
Kramnik, for his part, has denied any misconduct. On Thursday, October 23, 2025, he expressed hope that “the real truth about the circumstances and cause of this tragedy will be revealed, despite all attempts to hide it.” He has also called FIDE’s investigation “insulting” and “unfair,” describing it as “an organized demeaning campaign against him and his loved ones” in a recent interview with Russian broadcaster Match TV. Kramnik continued to post about Naroditsky on the day of the death announcement, calling it a tragedy and speculating about the cause, even suggesting that the death “should be investigated by police.” He later reported receiving threats after revealing what he called “public information about the ‘dark side’ of modern chess.”
The controversy surrounding Kramnik is not new. In 2023, the popular chess server Chess.com shut down his blog for spreading baseless allegations against “many dozens of players.” In 2024, Kramnik published a “Cheating Tuesdays” list on social media that included Czech grandmaster David Navara, who later revealed that the public accusations pushed him to consider suicide. Kramnik responded by accusing Navara of defamation. FIDE, in June 2025, publicly criticized Kramnik’s approach, stating that it “brings a lot of harm to the chess community” and “could be ruinous for the careers and well-being of certain players.” The federation invited Kramnik to present his statistical data and arguments for official evaluation, but the online debate only intensified.
The digital transformation of chess during the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the growth of online play and streaming, but also brought new challenges. With elite players competing in blitz and bullet formats—where games are decided in minutes—cheating allegations have become both more frequent and more difficult to prove. Naroditsky, as one of the world’s top 25 blitz players and a prominent online personality, was at the center of this new digital chess era. He had amassed half a million subscribers on YouTube and 340,000 followers on Twitch, and was invited by The New York Times in 2022 as a chess columnist. His teaching and streaming work brought chess to a broad audience, making his loss all the more deeply felt.
Many leading figures in the chess world have spoken out in support of Naroditsky and against Kramnik’s actions. Five-time world champion Magnus Carlsen called Kramnik’s behavior “horrific” and his pursuit of Naroditsky “appalling.” World No. 2 Hikaru Nakamura described the campaign as “nonsense” and “crazy.” Streamer and grandmaster Nemo Chao demanded on X (formerly Twitter) that Kramnik be removed from the FIDE database, stripped of his title, and disqualified from his championship. Grandmaster Nihal Sarin wrote on X about the “relentless, baseless accusations and public interrogations” Naroditsky endured, which caused “significant moral pressure and pain.”
FIDE president Dvorkovich paid tribute to Naroditsky’s legacy, describing him as “a bright person, a grandmaster, an educator, a commentator. He was loved by many.” The federation has announced plans to establish a prize in Naroditsky’s memory, honoring his contributions to the game and his impact on the community.
As the investigation into Kramnik’s conduct continues, the chess world is left to reflect on the responsibilities that come with public influence and the need for compassion and accountability. The outcome of FIDE’s Ethics Committee review remains to be seen, but the debate over fairness, respect, and the future of online chess rages on.