Vladimir Kramnik links Daniel Naroditsky’s death to “dark side of chess”, suggesting drug use
Photo: FIDE
Former World Chess Champion Vladimir Kramnik has drawn widespread criticism after sharing a series of posts on X (formerly Twitter) that linked the death of American Grandmaster Daniel Naroditsky to unverified claims and conspiracies.
Kramnik, who had publicly accused Naroditsky of cheating in 2024, published several posts shortly after reports of the 29-year-old’s death were confirmed by the Charlotte Chess Centre.
The Russian Grandmaster shared screenshots he claimed were from a “friend and chess fan,” suggesting that Naroditsky appeared unwell during his final livestream and hinting at possible substance use.
“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,” Kramnik wrote, alongside the screenshots. In another post, he mentioned a “chess mafia” and called for an investigation into what he described as a “tragedy.”
Weird,noticed yesterday morning some people talking about strange recent stream of Naroditsky, but checking again in few hours,many things erased ( ALL videis from his twitch, a thread about it, recognizable working style :) )
Anyone,what happened, that forced them act in a rush?— Vladimir Kramnik (@VBkramnik) October 19, 2025
All in all, typical nowadays world of chess, the only thing everyone cares about is "looking great" and pretending there are no issues. Even if its about long term major problems. Stop this doublefaced hypocries for once, and try helping to solve them.
Image is NOT everythingOne user on X replied that Naroditsky “was clearly having a mental breakdown” and urged Kramnik to show compassion. Others described his posts as “inappropriate” and “unhelpful.”
Naroditsky’s cause of death has not been made public, and no official statements have supported Kramnik’s suggestions. Many chess fans and professionals condemned his comments, accusing him of spreading baseless speculation at a sensitive time.
Despite the criticism, Kramnik continued to post about the incident, suggesting that “powerful interests” within chess were attempting to conceal the truth.
His remarks have divided the online chess community, with some defending his right to speak freely while others argued that such theories disrespect Naroditsky’s memory.
As tributes to Naroditsky continue to pour in from across the chess world, Kramnik continues to post similar claims on his X account, reiterating his suspicions and providing alleged proof for wider issues within the chess world. His comments remain unverified and have not been supported by any official evidence.