Daniel Naroditsky was found unconscious on his couch before his death was announced: Reports

Naroditsky passed away at the age of 29. The news of his demise was announced from the X account of the Charlotte Chess Center on Monday, which posted: “The Naroditsky family shares the sad news of Daniel’s unexpected passing. Daniel was a talented chess player, educator, and beloved member of the chess community. We ask for privacy as the family grieves.”

Earlier, former World Champion and Russian Grandmaster Vladimir Kramnik had raised suspicion over the death of Naroditsky. Shortly after the tragic news was announced, Kramnik, who had previously accused Naroditsky of cheating in online chess, posted a series of explosive tweets questioning the circumstances of Naroditsky’s sudden passing.

Potential substance abuse?

Kramnik hinted at potential substance abuse and deteriorating mental health. He first made a cryptic post on his X account that read, “Don’t Do Drugs.” He then referenced a “strange recent stream” by Naroditsky, alleging the American had been hastily removing his recent content from Twitch.

Kramnik called the shocking demise an awful tragedy and called for a “proper investigation” for the same. He shared a screenshot on X, raising concerns after Naroditsky’s sudden death.

“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. To those who prefer blaming and shaming instead of helping. Awfull tradegy, hope properly investigated,” his post read.