Chess Federation investigates Kramnik’s campaign against Naroditsky

The World Chess Federation (Fide) said it was looking into public attacks made by former world champion Vladimir Kramnik against Daniel Naroditsky before the American grandmaster’s death.

Fide CEO Emil Sutovsky told the Reuters news agency he was “studying” previous comments by the Russian accusing Naroditsky, who died this week aged 29, of online cheating.

Before his death, Naroditsky denied any wrongdoing and indicated that the controversy took its toll on him during his final Twitch stream.

Kramnik told Reuters he did not want to comment on Sutovsky’s statement, saying he “preferred to tell the story in its entirety.”

Naroditsky’s family announced his “unexpected” death in a statement released Monday by his club, the Charlotte Chess Center. No cause of death was given.

Kramnik also indicated on X that he plans to take legal action against “anyone who wrongly blames me.” He described Naroditsky’s death as a “tragedy” that police should investigate, adding: “I am ready to provide all the required information.”

He added that he would respond if Fide President Arkady Dvorkovich made a statement.

Naroditsky was a popular player, teacher and commentator. He was a leading figure in online chess with hundreds of thousands of followers – who knew him as Danya – on Twitch and YouTube.

Some prominent figures in the chess community, including world number two Hikaru Nakamura, former world champion Magnus Carlsen and Indian grandmaster Nihal Sarin, have condemned Kramnik’s conduct.

Carlsen described the way Naroditsky was treated as “horrible”, while Sarin said on

“The incessant and baseless accusations and public interrogations he has faced in recent months have caused him immense pressure and pain,” Sarin said.

“This must stop. When respected figures spread unfounded allegations without accountability, real lives are destroyed.”

He added: “Daniel’s smile faded after the attacks started. We all saw it. The world of chess lost one of its brightest lights – someone who made our game accessible to millions.”

British professional chess champion Jovana Houska told the BBC’s Gabriela Pomeroy: “People shouldn’t be allowed to accuse other people of cheating like that, and not face consequences. It shouldn’t be judged by social media, as has sometimes been the case.”

Nakamura – a close friend of Naroditsky – also reportedly criticized Kramnik for his behavior, while streamer Nemo Zhou called the situation “unacceptable” and urged Fide to take action.

The organization expressed its condolences to Naroditsky’s family, saying it would give him a special reward.

Kramnik, world champion from 2000 to 2007 and “self-proclaimed defender of fair play in chess”, told Reuters: “I prefer to tell the story in its entirety, without wanting to comment on Emil Sutovsky’s statement, but I will comment on the statement of the president of Fide (Arkady Dvorkovich), if it appears.”

The Russian, who has also accused other players of cheating, added of

Former under-12 world champion Naroditsky, whose parents were Jewish immigrants from the Soviet Union, finished ninth at last year’s world blitz championship.

The Charlotte Chess Center described him as a “cherished member of the chess community, admired and respected by fans and players around the world.”

Naroditsky was famous for his chess YouTube channel, which featured video tutorials and live streams against competitors, and inspired hundreds of thousands of people around the world to play the game.

Naroditsky’s channel had almost 500,000 subscribers, while his Twitch stream amassed 340,000 subscribers.

Fans praised his insight and passion, while the International Chess Federation said he played a “central role in popularizing chess content online”.