A toxicology report has confirmed that American chess grandmaster Daniel Naroditsky, aged 29, died from accidental poisoning due to a mix of drugs including methamphetamine and kratom compounds. He was found unconscious in his Charlotte home in October 2025 amid distress from cheating allegations by former world champion Vladimir Kramnik. The findings have prompted renewed scrutiny from the International Chess Federation.
Daniel Naroditsky, a celebrated child prodigy in the chess world, was discovered unresponsive on a sofa in his Charlotte, North Carolina, home on October 19, 2025, by fellow grandmaster Oleksandr Bortnyk and Charlotte Chess Center founder Peter Giannatos. The pair had grown concerned after unanswered calls and messages. At the time, local police investigated the death as a possible suicide or drug overdose, but no official cause was immediately announced.
The North Carolina Office of the Chief Medical Examiner released a toxicology report on January 20, 2026, revealing that Naroditsky had methamphetamine, amphetamine, mitragynine, and 7-hydroxymitragynine in his system. Methamphetamine and amphetamine are synthetic stimulants that can lead to organ damage and death, while the latter two are psychoactive ingredients in kratom, a Southeast Asian plant used as a supplement but linked by the Drug Enforcement Administration to dependency, psychosis, and physiological issues. The medical examiner ruled the death accidental poisoning.
Naroditsky's passing shocked the chess community, where he was known as 'Danya' for his influential role as an educator and commentator. A California native who became a grandmaster at 17, he won the 2007 World Youth Chess Championship under-12 title, the 2013 U.S. Junior Championship, and the U.S. Blitz Championship months before his death. He graduated from Stanford University, streamed on YouTube and Twitch to over 800,000 followers, and contributed columns to The New York Times.
Leading up to his death, Naroditsky faced unsubstantiated cheating accusations in online games from Vladimir Kramnik, a former world champion he once idolized. Bortnyk noted his friend was 'deeply distressed' by the claims. In his final Twitch stream on October 18, Naroditsky appeared visibly upset, discussing the toll of scrutiny: 'Ever since the Kramnik stuff, I feel like if I start doing well, people assume the worst of intentions.'
Kramnik issued a statement expressing condolences and rejecting links to the tragedy: '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.' He claimed to have urged friends to seek help for Naroditsky and faced threats post-death.
The International Chess Federation (FIDE) is investigating Kramnik's statements before and after the death, with potential fines or bans. Tributes highlighted Naroditsky's impact: Magnus Carlsen called him 'a resource to the chess community,' and Hikaru Nakamura said he was 'the best of us.' FIDE plans a memorial award in his name, and the Charlotte Chess Center remembered him as 'a talented chess player, commentator, and educator, and a cherished member of the chess community.'
