Chess bully who accused tragic grandmaster Daniel Naroditsky of cheating issues furious response to toxicology report
Former world chess champion Vladimir Kramnik has fumed that he was the victim of a ‘cynical smear campaign’ over the death of grandmaster Daniel Naroditsky.
Naroditsky, a popular American chess content creator who achieved grandmaster title as an 18-year-old, tragically died at the age of 29 in October shortly after holding a marathon livestreaming session.
His emotional and distressing behavior on that livestream had sparked concern, before he was found dead on his couch by two friends, grandmaster Oleksandr Bortnyk and Peter Giannatos, hours later.
After his devastating passing was announced, the chess world immediately condemned Kramnik – the 50-year-old who had spent recent years accusing Naroditsky of cheating – while accusing him of pushing the younger player to breaking point.
A petition calling for Kramnik to be banned from the sport and have his titles revoked was even set up, with close to 55,000 people signing it at the time of writing.
However, earlier this week a toxicology report revealed that Naroditsky died from an accidental overdose after a cocktail of addictive drugs were found in his system.
Ex-chess champion Vladimir Kramnik claims he was the victim of a ‘cynical smear campaign’
American grandmaster Daniel Naroditsky, who Kramnik had accused of cheating in recent years, tragically passed away at the age of just 29 in October
According to a toxicology report by the North Carolina Office of the Chief Medical Examiner that was obtained by NBC News, he had methamphetamine, amphetamine, 7-hydroxymitragynine and mitragynine in his system when he passed.
The first two chemicals are synthetic stimulants, while the latter two are the primary active chemical compounds found in Kratom, a plant native to Southeast Asiawith opioid-like effects.
All of the drugs found in Naroditsky’s system have potential for addiction, according to the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).
And following the release of the toxicology report, Kramnik has issued a furious response to those who suggested his cheating allegations had played a part.
In a statement released on X, the Russian initially paid his respects to Naroditysky’s family before describing his death as ‘an immense tragedy not just for them but for entire chess community.’
He then continued: ‘In the immediate aftermath of this tragedy, a cynical smear campaign was launched, unjustly linking me—without any factual basis—to Daniel’s untimely death. This was followed by multiple direct murder threats directed at me, my wife and my children, which compelled me to pursue legal action.
‘The authorities have now publicly released the medical examiner’s conclusions, confirming the true cause of death (anticipated by many who witnessed Daniel’s final stream).
Naroditsky’s emotional behavior on a livestream shortly before his death had sparked concern
A toxicology report has since revealed that the online chess star died from an accidental overdose after a cocktail of addictive drugs were found in his system
‘I deeply regret that this profound tragedy was exploited by various individuals and groups to advance their own agendas. There can be no justification for such immoral conduct.’
Kramnik claims he urged Naroditsky’s friends to check in on him after becoming concerned by his behavior on the livestream.
‘I recall that, after viewing portions of his last stream and despite our existing tensions, I publicly urged Daniel’s friends—on what tragically turned out to be the morning of his death—to look after and seek urgent help for him. Regrettably, those efforts were in vain,’ he concluded.
‘Out of respect for Daniel’s memory and for the sake of his loved ones, I will refrain from making any further public comment on this matter at this time.’
Over the course of the year before Naroditsky died, he was repeatedly accused of cheating in online chess games by Kramnik.
The latter claimed that he was using ‘chess engines,’ which are computer programs that generate moves regarded as the strongest in a given scenario, for online games.
Naroditsky, who was world champion from 2000 to 2006, had repeatedly denied Kramnik’s allegations.
In 2024, Vladimir Kramnik, one of the greatest players in history, began his sustained campaign of unsubstantiated allegations that suggested Naroditsky was a cheat
The cheating accusations caused him stress and emotional struggles, according to his mother, Elena Naroditsky, who spoke to the Daily Mail in October.
‘There was nothing more important to Daniel than his dignity and his name as a chess player,’ the mother said.
‘Daniel tried to defend himself so much,’ she continued. ‘The whole world was on Daniel’s side. He played more and did more and more because he was trying to prove that he’s not what he was accused of.’
Naroditsky’s mother also told the Daily Mail that her son had been planning on visiting his family in the Bay Area the week after he died, as well as celebrate his birthday on November 9, indicating that the overdose was accidental.
She described him as ‘so brilliant, so incredibly kind and loving, thoughtful, giving, inspiring.’
