U.S. chess grandmaster Daniel Naroditsky appeared drowsy, disoriented, and spoke in a confused, rambling manner in his concerning, final video before his death, as he responded to unfounded allegations of cheating made against him.
The 29-year-old chess superstar from Charlotte, North Carolina, appeared lean and disoriented as he streamed himself playing chess just days before news of his sudden death broke. Naroditsky's death was confirmed on Monday in a joint statement from his family and his chess club. In the days leading up to his death, the chess superstar had been locked in a tense dispute with former Russian world champion Vladimir Kramnik, who had accused him of cheating repeatedly.
Signs of Disturbed Mind
Naroditsky firmly denied the allegations, insisting that the claims against him were completely untrue. "Ever since the Kramnik stuff, I feel like if I start doing well, people assume the worst of intentions," Naroditsky griped in his final stream made in the early hours of Oct. 17.
At one point during the stream, Naroditsky appeared to hint that this might be his last broadcast after reading a viewer's comment about the cheating claims.
"This will not be the last time he faces criticism or trolling," Naroditsky read, before answering the comment, "Oh, it actually will be."
At another point, his voice trembling, Naroditsky mentioned plans for something happening the next morning while speaking to someone off camera.
"Be healthy, be well, be safe," he said in his send-off to viewers. "I'll see you guys win or lose after the match."
Cause of Death Still Unknown
As of now, the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD) has not released any information about the cause of his death. "We cannot comment or speculate as this is an active investigation," a CMPD spokesperson told The New York Post.
Kramnik has been caught up in several arguments with fellow players and with Chess.com, the world's biggest online chess platform, accusing it of allowing cheating to take place on the site.
"Over the past several years, we have suspended Mr Kramnik multiple times from our site for his repeated violations of our community policy," a Chess.com spokesperson told The Post.
"Despite our many warnings, he continued to push baseless conspiracy theories about other players. We have no information about the lawsuit because it hasn't been published in Swiss courts, but as soon as we do, we will vigorously respond."
Born and raised in California's Bay Area, Naroditsky began playing chess when he was just six years old. He quickly showed his talent, winning the Under-12 division of the World Youth Chess Championship in 2007.
In 2013, he won the U.S. Junior Championship title and earned his Grandmaster title later that same year.
Over the years, Naroditsky became a regular competitor in the U.S. Chess Championships and consistently ranked among the top 200 players in the world. He was also an accomplished writer, publishing two well-regarded books — Mastering Positional Chess in 2010 and Mastering Complex Endgames in 2014.
