American chess grandmaster Daniel Naroditsky, affectionately known as "Danya," passed away unexpectedly at the age of 29, his family announced through the Charlotte Chess Center. Renowned as one of the world’s top blitz players, Naroditsky was also a chess commentator, author, and educator who popularised the game through his engaging livestreams.
While the exact cause of his death remains undisclosed, former World Chess Champion Vladimir Kramnik has raised troubling concerns, suggesting possible substance abuse and alleging that warning signs about Naroditsky’s well-being were overlooked by those close to him.
Kramnik shared a message from a viewer of Naroditsky’s final stream expressing concerns about drug use and tweeted, "What exactly happened? Because I received this two days ago from a friend of mine, chess fan, and at least did what I could to warn people to do something urgently in my posts. To those who prefer blaming and shaming instead of helping. Awful tragedy, hope properly investigated."
Before the confirmation of Naroditsky’s death, Kramnik had criticized those around Naroditsky for ignoring his long-term problems, writing, "Too high price paid, but if I was the only person shouting about obvious long-term problems of Danya becoming alarming, requiring urgent measures from people around, while 'friends' only cared about hiding it and erase evidence, it’s rotten to the core."
History between Vladimir Kramnik & Daniel Naroditsky
In 2024 when Kramnik accused Naroditsky of cheating by consulting a chess engine via a second screen during matches, allegations that Naroditsky vehemently denied, calling Kramnik “worse than dirt” for making unproven accusations. These events visibly affected Naroditsky, who released videos defending his setup and playing style. He was known not just for his skill but also for popularizing chess through streaming and education
