Vladimir Kramnik denies wrongdoing in death of US chess star Daniel Naroditsky | Chess

Vladimir Kramnik has broken his silence following the death of American grandmaster Daniel Naroditsky, calling the 29-year-old’s death a tragedy while accusing critics of mounting an “unprecedented cynical and illegal harassment campaign” against him and his family.

The 50-year-old former world champion, who was widely condemned for accusing Naroditsky of cheating online without proof, expressed his condolences but denied any personal attacks.

“Despite the tensions in our relationship, I was the only person in the chess community who, noticing on video Daniel’s obvious health problems a day before his death, publicly called for him to receive help,” Kramnik wrote in a statement on

Kramnik said his previous calls for a review of Naroditsky’s online piece had been ignored “despite a significant amount of evidence”, and claimed he would provide evidence to “any competent authority”. He said his lawyers were preparing civil and criminal charges for “false accusations” that led to threats against him and his family.

He added that he welcomed what he described as a criminal investigation in the United States into the circumstances of Naroditsky’s death and offered to help by providing “important non-public information.” Kramnik concluded by saying that he was “in good physical and mental condition” and that he had “under no circumstances” intended to commit suicide.

Naroditsky’s death may have been the result of a drug overdose and is being investigated as a possible suicide, according to a police report released Thursday. A report from the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department says Naroditsky was found dead Sunday evening and describes the case as a “death/suicide/overdose/sudden/natural death investigation.”

“On Sunday, October 19, at approximately 7:11 p.m., officers responded to a call for medical assistance in the 9000 area of ​​Colin Crossing,” the report states. “Upon arrival, an unresponsive subject was located and was later pronounced deceased by a physician.”

Naroditsky was discovered at his home by close friends Grandmaster Oleksandr Bortnyk and Charlotte Chess Center founder Peter Giannatos. The two men had gone to check on him after he stopped responding to calls and messages.

“I found him dead in his house,” Bortnyk said in a stream this week. “We came to check because he was unresponsive and found him dead on the couch.”

Naroditsky, one of the chess world’s most popular streamers and commentators, was found dead last weekend in Charlotte, North Carolina, where he was head coach and resident grandmaster at the Charlotte Chess Center. Police have not released the cause of death.

A Stanford-educated prodigy and former junior world champion, Naroditsky has amassed more than 800,000 subscribers on Twitch and YouTube. Known as Danya, he was celebrated for his humor, clarity and humility, becoming a leading voice in the pandemic-era chess boom. He was also one of the world’s best players under shorter time controls, finishing ninth at last year’s World Blitz Championship in New York.

Naroditsky has always denied the allegations, but acknowledged the detrimental impact they had on his mental health. “Since the Kramnik affair, I have the impression that if I start doing well, people assume the worst,” Naroditsky said in his latest livestream.

Anger over Kramnik’s conduct dominated the chess world. Hikaru Nakamura called his behavior “disgusting”, while five-time world champion Magnus Carlsen called it “horrible”. Indian grandmaster Nihal Sarin, who faced Naroditsky in his last online match, accused Kramnik of “taking a life”, saying his vigilante campaign against suspected cheaters was ineffective and “totally unacceptable”.

Kramnik, who dethroned Garry Kasparov in 2000 and held the world title for nearly seven years, has made similar cheating accusations against other players. In 2023, Chess.com banned him from posting, citing “baseless and harmful” allegations.

The International Chess Federation (Fide) said this week it was “investigating” Kramnik’s behavior. “The way Kramnik approaches the issue simply cannot be accepted,” Fide Director General Emil Sutovsky told Reuters. The federation plans to honor Naroditsky with a memorial award.

Fide President Arkady Dvorkovich later confirmed that all of Kramnik’s public statements about Naroditsky, before and after his death, would be referred to the organization’s Ethics and Disciplinary Commission “for independent review.”

“Human life and dignity are fundamental values ​​that we all share,” Dvorkovich said in a statement. “The chess community has long respected the achievements of General Director Vladimir Kramnik, but with such stature comes a responsibility to uphold the principles of fairness and respect.”

Sutovsky, meanwhile, faced his own backlash after posting a message on X that critics saw as accusing the community of failing to help Naroditsky while he was alive. These remarks sparked strong reactions from prominent chess streamers like Anna Cramling and Nemo Zhou, who called the comments “disgusting” and urged him to resign.

Naroditsky’s family said they hoped he would be remembered not for the hostility he endured but for “the joy and inspiration he brought to people every day.” Carlsen called him “a resource for the chess community”, while Nakamura described him as “the best of us”.