‘His dignity and his name as a chess player were everything’: Daniel Naroditsky’s mother speaks out after son’s shocking death at 29

There is a growing refrain that Naroditsky, who was 29, was under severe stress after allegations of cheating were levelled against him by former world champion Vladimir Kramnik.

As per Daily Mail. Elena mentioned that Daniel, known affectionately as Danya, had been planning to visit family in the Bay Area later this week. She said he was planning to visit his older brother Alan’s new baby and to celebrate his own birthday on November 9. However, the family is preparing for his funeral.

“My sister just came from Philadelphia. We’re just trying to assess what to do. There’s a lot of plans to do for the funeral. It’s a tragedy,’ the mother sobbed. ‘He was my dearest son. He was 29,” she said to Daily Mail.

“Daniel was such a life. He was so brilliant, so incredibly kind and loving, thoughtful, giving, inspiring,” she added.

The Charlotte Chess Center in North Carolina, where Naroditsky trained and taught, announced his death on social media, calling him “a beloved member of the chess community” who should be remembered for his “passion and love for the game of chess, and for the joy and inspiration he brought to us all every day.”

Naroditsky became a Grandmaster at the age of 18 in 2013 and has consistently ranked in the top 200 in the world and top 15 in the US in classical chess. He was also in the top 75 in Rapid and top 25 in Blitz. Last year, he crossed 2700 FIDE Blitz for the first time.