American Chess Grandmaster Found Dead with Drugs in System

A toxicology report recently released indicates that Daniel Naroditsky, a 29-year-old chess grandmaster, had several drugs in his system at the time of his death in October at his home in North Carolina.

Naroditsky, a chess prodigy who earned his grandmaster title by age 18, was discovered on his sofa by fellow grandmaster Oleksandr Bortnik, according to a source.

The report from the North Carolina Office of the Chief Medical Examiner listed methamphetamine, amphetamine, 7-hydroxymitragynine, and mitragynine as substances found in Naroditsky’s system when he passed away. However, details about the manner of his death remain undisclosed.

Prior to his death, Naroditsky faced allegations of cheating by Russian grandmaster Vladimir Kramnik, who frequently accused him on social media without presenting any evidence. Naroditsky responded by denying the claims and suggested that Kramnik was attempting to destroy his reputation.

Arkady Dvorkovich, the president of the international chess federation FIDE, mentioned that the Ethics and Disciplinary Committee would take appropriate actions if any evidence of harassment or bullying surfaced.

Naroditsky had a significant online presence and had defeated prominent players, including Italian-American grandmaster Fabiano Caruana in 2021. He was consistently ranked among the top 25 players throughout his career and won the U.S. Blitz Championship just months before his death.

The North Carolina Office of the Chief Medical Examiner has not provided further comments regarding the case.