Chess world roiled by Naroditsky’s ‘unexpected’ death

Chess had a renaissance online during the COVID pandemic, spirited on successful portion by the charismatic streaming grandmaster, Daniel Naroditsky. Naroditsky, 29, was recovered dormant connected October 19, 2025. His household called it ‘unexpected’. The origin of decease was not instantly known.

For the past year, Vladimir Kramnik, a Russian grandmaster and erstwhile satellite champion, had accused Naroditsky of cheating successful online games, which the American denied. Some Naroditsky fans, including Anna Cramling, a YouTube chess star, person called Kramnik’s unproven allegations ‘cyberbullying’. Whatever they are, 1 happening is certain. Cheating successful nonrecreational chess is simply a problem.

In 1 notorious case, the World Chess Federation (FIDE) recovered French grandmaster Sebastien Feller blameworthy of cheating astatine tournaments successful 2010. Two accomplices utilized a computer, substance messaging and a ocular codification to relay moves to Feller arsenic helium played.

In 2015, an hostile complained astir the galore bath breaks being taken by a Georgian grandmaster, Gaioz Nigalidze, astatine a tourney successful Dubai. Turns retired helium had a smartphone hidden successful a stall. FIDE banned him from competing for 3 years.

But things are not ever arsenic they whitethorn seem. In 2022, Hans Niemann became embroiled successful a cheating ungraded astatine the Sinquefield Cup successful St Louis. His decision of Magnus Carlsen, satellite champion astatine the time, led to cheating allegations. Today, it is mostly believed Niemann did thing wrong.

As with truthful galore chess talents, Daniel Naroditsky showed committedness aboriginal on. Born successful California to immigrants from Ukraine and Azerbaijan, helium learned to play from his member astatine property 6. At property 11, helium won the under-12 World Youth Championship, becoming a grandmaster astatine 18. In blitz chess, helium was ranked among the world’s apical 25.

In 2024, Naroditsky said Kramnik’s allegations were causing him anxiety. In his last YouTube video connected October 18, 2025, helium said helium felt ‘better than ever’ but besides seemed distraught.

FIDE is present considering disciplinary enactment against Kramnik, who powerfully denies immoderate relation successful Naroditsky’s death.

On the aforesaid time that Naroditsky’s assemblage was found, Bodhana Sivanandan, 10, bushed erstwhile Ukrainian satellite champion Mariya Muzychuk, 33. The precocious Briton played a ‘near cleanable game’ successful the European Chess Club Cup successful Rhodes, Greece. It was an elegant win, everything the beauteous crippled should be, overshadowed by a week of disfigured stories.