What Really Happened Before Daniel Naroditsky’s Death? and His Friends’ Last Attempt to Save Him

Daniel Naroditsky’s last livestream ran for two and a half hours — a heartbreaking broadcast that now feels like a cry for help. In a special report, Daily Mail detailed the American grandmaster’s final moments on camera, capturing what appeared to be a deep psychological crisis in real time.

Streaming from his home office in Charlotte, North Carolina, the 29-year-old was visibly agitated and erratic. He suffered a string of defeats, yanked at his hair, slammed his desk, switched between English and Russian, and even slipped into Southern accents as he rambled about morality, honor, and being misunderstood.

Throughout the stream, Naroditsky referred to “the man who’s trying to destroy my life” — a veiled reference to former world champion Vladimir Kramnik, though he never mentioned the name directly.

Friends Tried to Save Him

Two of Naroditsky’s closest friends, Ukrainian grandmaster Oleksandr Bortnyk and Peter Giannatos, grew alarmed after viewers on Twitch raised the alarm. Sometime between 1 and 2 a.m, Oct 18th, they arrived at his house, rang the doorbell, and somehow got inside.

Both men were fixtures at the Charlotte Chess Center, where their friendship with Naroditsky ran far deeper than chess. Bortnyk, a Ukrainian grandmaster who moved to Charlotte in 2022, and Peter Giannatos, the center’s founder and director, had worked closely with Daniel for years—teaching, streaming, and building one of America’s most vibrant chess communities.

Together, they mentored hundreds of young players, created online courses, and often spent long nights analyzing games and laughing over blitz sessions. To them, Daniel wasn’t just a colleague but family. That’s why, when they arrived at his home that night, it wasn’t as professionals—it was as friends desperate to save someone they loved.

That’s why they urged him to stop streaming. But Naroditsky, exhausted and defensive, pleaded to continue:

“I set a 2 a.m. curfew, what’s the matter?”
“Please let me play a few more in peace.”

Giannatos insisted the stream end immediately. What followed was Naroditsky’s final recorded sentence — one that now feels tragically revealing:

“The problem is, since the Kramnik stuff, I feel like if I start doing well, people assume the worst of intentions.”

Moments later, he ended the broadcast. He was found dead on his couch the next morning on Oct 19th.

The Shadow of Kramnik

According to Daily Mail, Naroditsky had been tormented for more than a year by Kramnik’s public campaign accusing him of cheating. Beginning in 2024, the Russian legend posted videos and messages claiming Naroditsky used outside help, looked at another screen, or inflated his rating by selecting weaker opponents.

Almost no one in the chess world believed the allegations. Kramnik had already earned a reputation for conspiracy theories and feuds within the community. But the repeated accusations, coming from a former world champion, were enough to devastate Naroditsky’s reputation — and his peace of mind.

Even in the days before his death, Kramnik had not stopped. On X, he added a cryptic post:

““Don’t do drugs.”

In the days following Naroditsky’s death, the chess world has remained in turmoil. FIDE officially opened an investigation into Kramnik’s conduct, citing “potential violations of the Code of Ethics” after months of public accusations against several grandmasters. Kramnik, in response, said he intends to take legal action against both FIDE and individuals he claims “defamed and harassed” him online.

Meanwhile, the Charlotte Chess Center announced that Naroditsky’s funeral was held on October 23, with hundreds of players, fans, and colleagues paying tribute. Tributes poured in across platforms, remembering him not only as a brilliant tactician but as a teacher whose voice had guided millions through the complexities of the game. The police investigation into his death is still ongoing, with both suicide and accidental overdose being considered.