Chess grandmaster Daniel Naroditsky died from an abnormal heartbeat caused by an accidental overdose of multiple drugs, according to a toxicology report released Tuesday by North Carolina authorities. Naroditsky, 29, was found dead at his Raleigh home in October. The report said he tested positive for methamphetamine and kratom, an opioid-related substance increasingly found in energy drinks, gummies and supplements.
Naroditsky was an influential figure in competitive chess who popularized the sport through livestreaming but had recently faced significant stress from cheating allegations he denied.
The death of a chess prodigy
Chess grandmaster Daniel Naroditsky, who brought competitive speed chess to mainstream audiences through livestreamed matches and commentary, died in October from an accidental overdose of multiple drugs, according to a toxicology report released Tuesday by North Carolina authorities.
The 29-year-old was found dead at his Raleigh home on October 19 after missing a flight. He had last been seen alive on October 18 when he accepted a food delivery.
Medical findings
The toxicology report from the North Carolina Medical Examiner’s Office documented multiple substances in Naroditsky’s system: methamphetamine and kratom, an opioid-related substance that is increasingly added to energy drinks, gummies and supplements. The report attributed his death to an abnormal heartbeat caused by the accidental overdose.
In the days before his death, friends had grown concerned about his wellbeing. Two days prior, after observing that he was acting strangely online, they went to his home and removed 40 pills of the stimulant Adderall. Investigators later found bags of kratom in the residence.
Rise as a chess ambassador
Naroditsky became a grandmaster—the highest rank in chess aside from World Chess Champion—at age 18. He gained widespread recognition by livestreaming his matches on YouTube and the streaming platform Twitch, bringing competitive chess to thousands of viewers during the sport’s pandemic-era surge in popularity.
High-speed competitive chess flourished during the COVID-19 pandemic, but the growing community was soon marked by cheating allegations, as players gained access to sophisticated computer programs that could provide unfair advantages.
Cheating allegations and conflict
Naroditsky was accused of cheating by former World Chess Champion Vladimir Kramnik. Naroditsky denied the allegations, which were never proven.
In his final livestream before his death, Naroditsky spoke about the toll the accusations had taken on him. “Ever since the Kramnik stuff, I feel like if I start doing well, people assume the worst of intentions,” he said. “The issue is just the lingering effect of it.”
The accusations sparked a broader dispute. In November, the International Chess Federation filed a formal complaint against Kramnik, accusing him of harassment and insulting the dignity of fellow players. Kramnik, who called the investigation “insulting and fair,” filed a defamation lawsuit against the federation in December.
Kramnik’s response
In a post Tuesday on the social platform X, Kramnik called Naroditsky’s death an “immense tragedy” and said that afterward “a cynical smear campaign was launched, unjustly linking me — without any factual basis — to Daniel’s untimely death.”
He said the campaign was followed by “multiple direct murder threats directed at me, my wife and my children, which compelled me to pursue legal action.”
Kramnik added that he had publicly urged Naroditsky’s friends to help him on what turned out to be the morning of his death. “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,” he said. “Regrettably, those efforts were in vain.”