🔗 Share this article

The former world champion has spoken out after the death of American grandmaster Daniel Naroditsky, describing the 29-year-old's loss as a tragedy while condemning critics for mounting what he termed an "deeply cynical and unlawful targeted harassment" against him and his loved ones.

Kramnik's Statement

The 50-year-old ex-champion, who has faced widespread condemnation for alleging Naroditsky of online cheating lacking proof, expressed condolences but denied any personal attacks.

"Despite the tensions, I was the sole individual in the chess community who, noticing on video Daniel's apparent health concerns a day before his death, openly urged for him to receive help," Kramnik declared. "The subsequent attempts, right after his passing, to explicitly connect this tragic event to my name … violate every limit of basic human morality."

Kramnik said his earlier calls for a review of Naroditsky's online play had been ignored "despite a significant amount of evidence", and stated he would submit documentation to "appropriate officials". He mentioned his lawyers were preparing legal actions over "unfounded claims" that have led to threats against him and his family.

Investigation Details

The demise of the grandmaster may have been the consequence of substance overuse and is being examined as a potential self-harm case, based on a police report issued last Thursday. A report from the Charlotte-Mecklenburg police department indicates Naroditsky was discovered deceased Sunday evening and describes the case as a "Death/suicide/overdose/Sudden/Natural Death Investigation."

"Last Sunday, October 19 at approximately 07:11pm, officers responded to an assist medic call in the area of 9000 Colin Crossing," the document states. "When they reached the scene, an unresponsive subject was located and later pronounced deceased by a medical professional."

Chess World Response

Anger over Kramnik's conduct has dominated the chess world. Grandmaster Nakamura described his actions "disgusting", while five-time world champion Carlsen described it as "horrible". Indian grandmaster Sarin, who faced Naroditsky in his last digital game, accused Kramnik of "taking a life", saying his vigilante campaign against alleged rule-breakers was ineffective and "totally inappropriate".

Naroditsky's Legacy

A Stanford-educated prodigy and ex-youth titleholder, Naroditsky amassed over 800,000 followers on Twitch and YouTube. Referred to as Danya, he was praised for his humor, clarity and humility, becoming a leading voice in chess's COVID-period surge. He was also one of the world's finest players under rapid formats, placing ninth at last year's blitz world championship in New York.

Naroditsky repeatedly refuted the accusations but acknowledged the toll they had taken on his psychological well-being. "Ever since the Kramnik stuff, I feel like if I begin performing strongly, people assume the worst," Naroditsky remarked in his final livestream.

Official Responses

The International Chess Federation (Fide) announced recently it was "investigating" Kramnik's behavior. "Kramnik's methodology simply can't be accepted," Fide CEO Sutovsky stated. The federation plans to honor Naroditsky with a memorial award.

Fide president Dvorkovich later verified that all of Kramnik's official remarks about Naroditsky, before and after his death, would be referred to the federation's disciplinary body "to be reviewed independently".

"Life and human worth are fundamental values universally upheld," Dvorkovich stressed. "The chess community has always valued the achievements of GM Vladimir Kramnik, but such status brings a responsibility to uphold the principles of fairness and respect."

Family's Hope

Naroditsky's family have said they wish he is recalled not because of the hostility he endured but for "the happiness and motivation he provided others every day". Magnus Carlsen called him "a resource to the chess community", while Hikaru Nakamura referred to him as "the best of us".

• In the US, individuals may contact the Suicide Prevention Hotline on 988, communicate via 988lifeline.org, or message HOME to 741741 to connect with a crisis counselor.
• Throughout Britain and Ireland, Samaritans can be reached at 116 123, or email [email protected] or [email protected].
• Across Australia, the crisis support service Lifeline Australia is 13 11 14.
• Global support contacts can be found at befrienders.org.