GM Daniel Naroditsky died as a result of an accident resulting from underlying medical conditions, according to an autopsy report released this week by the Mecklenburg County Medical Examiner’s Office in North Carolina.
The popular U.S. grandmaster, commentator, educator, and streamer tragically passed away in his apartment on October 19 at the age of only 29. Speculations about the circumstances of his passing have been circulating widely on social media for months, but this report marks the first time an official cause of death has been made public.
According to a medical examiner’s findings, Naroditsky died of probable cardiac arrhythmia, an abnormal heartbeat, caused by an underlying condition known as systemic sarcoidosis. The manner of death has officially been ruled an accident.
The toxicology report noted that the 29-year-old had substances such as methamphetamine, amphetamine, mitragynine, and 7-hydroxymitragynine in his system at the time of death. Mitragynine compounds are associated with kratom, a plant-based substance sometimes used for stimulant or sedative effects.
The concentration of these was not fatal, according to the medical examiner. The report stated:
However, the potential for the cardiovascular stimulant effects of these substances to increase the risk of cardiac arrhythmia and thus contribute to death cannot be ruled out.
Naroditsky died suddenly “without evidence of acute distress”, the autopsy shows:
The circumstances and scene findings suggest that death occurred suddenly, without evidence of acute distress. He did not contact friends or emergency services with complaints of severe illness or pain.
Naroditsky was found after his friends became concerned when he had missed a scheduled flight. GM Oleksandr Bortnyk and FM Peter Giannatos, founder of the Charlotte Chess Club, went to his apartment, where they discovered him unresponsive. Responders pronounced him dead at the scene.
According to the report, his friends removed approximately 40 pills described as “probably Adderall” out of concern for his well-being.
The report noted that there was “additional concern for suicidal overdose over stress the decedent had been experiencing from cheating allegations leveled against him by a prominent international chess figure over the previous year.”
That figure refers to GM Vladimir Kramnik, who is currently being investigated by the FIDE Ethics & Disciplinary Commission for alleged harassment and bullying of the 29-year-old, and Czech GM David Navara. Naroditsky had been vocal about the psychological toll and online negativity caused by these attacks, while Navara described suicidal thoughts in the aftermath of a tweet where Kramnik named him.
However, the report stated, “there is no evidence for intentional or unintentional overdose on illicit, prescription, and/or over-the-counter substances.”
The U.S. grandmaster was one of the most beloved figures in the chess world, with a huge following that since his passing has grown to more than 350,000 on his Twitch channel and reached 520,000 subscribers on YouTube. He was immensely popular and gained a huge following, not only to due to his insightful commentary and educational content, but also his humorous personality.
“Daniel was a talented chess player, commentator, and educator, and a cherished member of the chess community, admired and respected by fans and players around the world,” his family said in a statement. “He was also a loving son and brother, and a loyal friend to many.”
Top grandmasters and chess personalities around the world paid tribute to Naroditsky, such as GM Magnus Carlsen, who shared a personal story of how the grandmaster had a unique place in his life.
“I played him famously a few games on my wedding night. […] I decided to play a few games, and I thought, regardless of what happens, it would be a funny story,” he said. “I decided to play a few games from the hospital bed as well when we were waiting for the delivery.”
Other tributes also poured in from GMs Hikaru Nakamura, Peter Leko, Levon Aronian, and Fabiano Caruana. The latter said: “His passion for chess shone through when he was commentating and when he was competing. He was full of personality, fiercely intelligent, witty, funny, and most of all, very kind and generous.”
In November, friends and family of the grandmaster launched the Naroditsky Memorial and Fellowship Fund to found two major initiatives and honor the legacy. Within six weeks, around 2,800 contributors had donated more than $1,000,000, reaching a quarter of the campaign’s $4 million goal.
Charlotte Chess Club, the organizer of the Fellowship Fund, said the milestone allows them to secure a venue that will host the Naroditsky Memorial Blitz & Rapid, an over-the-board tournament set to debut in 2026.
