4 months ago
2
American chess grandmaster Daniel Naroditsky died past year aft suffering an abnormal heartbeat and had aggregate drugs successful his strategy astatine the time, according to a toxicology study that ruled the 29-year-old’s decease an accident.
Naroditsky, a chess prima and streamer credited with helping grow the game’s audience, was recovered dormant astatine his location successful Charlotte, North Carolina successful October.
Police said astatine the clip that his decease was being investigated arsenic a imaginable overdose oregon suicide.
The study from the North Carolina aesculapian examiner’s office, seen connected Friday (January 23, 2026) by AFP, says Naroditsky died from “probable cardiac arrhythmia” caused by an inflammatory illness impacting the organs.
He had methamphetamine, amphetamine and the plant-based supplement kratom successful his system, according to the report, which lists the drugs arsenic contributing factors successful his death.
The study says the cause concentrations successful Naroditsky’s strategy were astatine “levels considered non-toxic/non-lethal.”
No grounds of injury
It notes nary “suspected illicit substances oregon paraphernalia were present” erstwhile Naroditsky was recovered by friends successful October, and a postmortem exam revealed “no grounds of injury.”
“There is nary grounds for intentional oregon unintentional overdose connected illicit, prescription, and/or over-the-counter substances,” the study says.
Friends reported that Naroditsky “appeared to grounds concerning altered intelligence presumption portion streaming online” days earlier his death, according to the report.
They had gone to his location and taken distant astir 40 pills believed to beryllium the stimulant Adderall.
Cheating allegations
In the weeks before, Naroditsky had been weighed down by cheating allegations made by erstwhile satellite champion Vladimir Kramnik. Naroditsky denied the allegations, which were not proven.
The examiner’s study noted the saga caused Naroditsky stress.
The International Chess Federation said Naroditsky’s “influence extended acold beyond the chessboard.”
He “played a pivotal relation successful popularizing chess contented online, bridging the spread betwixt nonrecreational and amateur chess,” the governing assemblage said.
“There are not galore radical successful the satellite who negociate to execute truthful overmuch earlier turning 30.”
The grandmaster rubric is the highest a subordinate tin execute extracurricular of being crowned satellite champion.
