Khaberni - Authorities in North Carolina announced the official cause of death for the prominent American chess player Daniel Naroditsky at the age of 29, after his sudden disappearance from the sports scene.
The official toxicology report issued by the Chief Medical Examiner's Office confirmed that Naroditsky died from accidental poisoning after consuming a mix of medications and drugs, including methamphetamine and amphetamine, as well as compounds from the kratom plant like mitragynine and 7-hydroxymitragynine, which are substances with strong psychotropic effects.
The player was found pulseless inside his home in Charlotte, North Carolina, on October 19, 2025, and his death was declared at the scene.
Documents indicate that the police had opened a preliminary investigation into his death as a possible accidental poisoning or overdose, after he was found unresponsive by his friends on a couch in his home.
Before his death, Naroditsky had been under significant psychological stress in the previous months, after being accused by former world champion Vladimir Kramnik of unproven allegations of cheating in online chess games, which sparked widespread discussions in the chess community and affected the general mood towards the player.
Naroditsky was not only known for his skill in the game but also for his role as a teacher, commentator, and influencer in the chess world through his educational content on platforms like YouTube and Twitch, where he was very popular among game enthusiasts worldwide.
