Did online accusations of cheating by a former Russian world chess champion lead to the death of a 29-year-old American grandmaster?

Former world champion Vladimir Kramnik is being investigated over his online attacks on a U.S. grandmaster, Daniel Naroditsky, who was found dead Sunday at his home at Charlotte, North Carolina. 

Mr. Naroditsky, a chess prodigy who helped bring the ancient game into the digital age through livestreams and online lessons, was found dead by a fellow grandmaster, Oleksandr Bortnyk, who went to check on him. The cause of Mr. Naroditsky’s death has not been made public but investigators said there were no signs of foul play and are examining the possibility of suicide or accidental overdose.

Mr. Kramnik, a world champion from 2000 to 2006, has drawn the wrath of the chess community by repeatedly accusing Mr. Naroditsky and others of cheating by using computer programs during online games to determine the strongest move in a given scenario.

The International Chess Federation, known as FIDE, announced this week that it is sending all relevant public statements made by Mr. Kramnik – both before and after Mr. Naroditsky’s death – to its ethics and disciplinary commission for review. It vowed to take “appropriate action” in any case where harassment or bullying is found. 

“In recent times, public debate within the chess world has too often moved beyond the boundaries of acceptable, harming not only people’s reputation but their well-being,” FIDE’s president, Arkady Dvorkovich, said in a statement. “When this happens, discussions can turn into harassment, bullying and personal attacks – a particularly serious concern in today’s environment.”

Mr. Kramnik, who retired from competitive chess in 2019, proclaimed his innocence of any wrong-doing and sees himself as a victim. “What public statement after the death of Daniel was incorrect?” he asked Reuters. “I demand clarification from Mr. President. I have not bullied Daniel Naroditsky or ever made personal insults towards him.”

Mr. Kramnik, 50, added that FIDE should investigate bullying and damaging statements made toward him, alleging murder threats without giving specifics.

This is not the first time Mr. Kramnik has been flagged for harassment. Chess.com shut down his blog in 2023 because of allegations made against dozens of players. Mr. Kramnik, who launched his cheating campaign when chess became popular online during the pandemic, has also posted on social media a list of players under the title “Cheating Tuesdays.”

The list reportedly included a Czech grandmaster, David Navara, who said  that Mr. Kramnik’s accusations pushed him to consider suicide. “If 200,000 people read such a post and only one percent of them start to doubt me, that’s already 2,000 people,” Mr. Navara wrote. “That number is unbearable.”

Before his death, Mr. Naroditsky told his online followers that Mr. Kramnik’s accusations of cheating were damaging his credibility. “Ever since the Kramnik stuff, I feel like if I start doing well, people assume the worst of intentions,” he said during a Twitch livestream on Oct. 18.

Mr. Naroditsky’s mother, Elena Naroditsky, said her son was tormented by the cheating allegations.

“There was nothing more important to Daniel than his dignity and his name as a chess player,” Ms. Naroditsky told the Daily Mail. “Daniel tried to defend himself so much. The whole world was on Daniel’s side. He played more and did more and more because he was trying to prove that he’s not what he was accused of.”

Mr. Naroditsky, a California native and Stanford graduate whose parents were Jewish emigrants from the Soviet Union, won the Under-12 world championship before publishing a book at age 14, titled “Mastering Positional Chess.” At age 18, he became a grandmaster, the highest title short of world champion. 

As the world of social media evolved, he emerged as one of the most influential personalities in chess, building an audience of 500,000 followers on YouTube and 340,000 on Twitch.

“It’s a tragedy,” his mother said. “Daniel was such a life. He was so brilliant, so incredibly kind and loving, thoughtful, giving and inspiring.”

High-profile members of the online community have blasted Mr. Kramnik for his stream of accusations. Among those who have denounced the Russian on social media are the world’s No. 2 player, Hikaru Nakamura; a former world champion, Magnus Carlsen; and an Indian grandmaster; Nihal Sarin.

Mr. Sarin said Mr. Kramnik “needs to pay for what he’s doing,” adding that the accusations of cheating had placed Mr. Naroditsky under “immense pressure.”

“Daniel’s smile faded after the attacks began,” Mr. Sarin posted on X. “We all saw it. The chess world has lost one of its brightest lights, someone who made our game accessible to millions. Rest in peace, Danya. You deserved so much better.”