‘You thought I was gone!? – Firstpost

The chess community is mourning the loss of Daniel Naroditsky, whose death on Sunday has attracted condolences from prominent figures in the sport, including Garry Kasparov and Viswanathan Anand. Naroditsky’s death comes amid ongoing cheating allegations made against him by Russian chess grandmaster Vladimir Kramnik, which have reportedly affected Naroditsky’s mental health.

Naroditsky, known as ‘Danya,’ posted a video titled “You thought I was gone!? Speedrun returns!” on October 17, just prior to his passing at his residence in North Carolina. The video has drawn attention due to its contrasting tone with his tumultuous state leading up to his death, as his final live stream showed signs of distress and incoherence amid discussions about Kramnik’s allegations.

The cause of Naroditsky’s death has yet to be disclosed, and his family did not provide details in their statement released through the Charlotte Chess Center. Kramnik now faces increasing scrutiny regarding his allegations, with prominent chess figures like Magnus Carlsen and Hikaru Nakamura criticizing his anti-cheating efforts. FIDE CEO Emil Sutovsky announced that the governing body will investigate Kramnik’s public comments against Naroditsky.