Oslo and New York: The chess world is in shock over the death of American Grandmaster Daniel Naroditsky at the age of 29. As tributes come in, many top players, including Magnus Carlsen, have spoken out against Vladimir Kramnik for attacking Naroditsky in public in the weeks leading up to his death.
Many people liked Naroditsky because he was a well-known blitz chess expert and commentator who was known for being calm and providing instructive content that attracted new players to online chess. His death has brought up cries for accountability in the chess world, especially because Kramnik is still on his “anti-cheating crusade.”
Carlsen Calls Kramnik’s Actions “Horrible”
Carlsen said he was sad about Naroditsky’s death and called Kramnik’s comments “brutal” and “unfair” on the Take Take Take channel.
Carlsen remarked, “With the whole Kramnik situation, I’ve obviously had problems with him in the past.” “He started going after Naroditsky so hard. First of all, I don’t think anyone thought Naroditsky was cheating.”
Carlsen said that he had privately contacted Naroditsky to show his support, but he wished he had done it publicly.
“I think the way he was going after Naroditsky was terrible. Carlsen went on to say, “Seeing how it affected him, which was clear now.”
FIDE is said to have decided to look into Kramnik’s internet behavior after the five-time World Chess Champion made comments about it. Kramnik had made repeated, false claims of cheating against other grandmasters including Hikaru Nakamura and Naroditsky.
The community wants people to be responsible.
After Naroditsky died, a lot of players and fans asked FIDE to hold Kramnik responsible for the long public campaign that led to a lot of online persecution of the young grandmaster.
Emil Sutovsky, the CEO of FIDE, told Reuters that the organization will be “looking into” Kramnik’s connections with Naroditsky and other players.
Carlsen stressed how hard the scenario was on Naroditsky emotionally:
“Even long before that, it was clear that he was in a bad place.” It’s a big loss. It’s quite sad for all of us that someone who was so helpful to the chess community and had a high approval rating from everyone ended up where he did.
Background: Kramnik’s “Anti-Cheating Crusade” that caused a lot of trouble
In the past few years, Vladimir Kramnik, who was the World Chess Champion from 2000 to 2006, has publicly attacked several top players, saying they use computers to help them play online. A lot of people have criticized him for making claims without proof.
Kramnik’s comments regarding Naroditsky, a player recognized for being honest and having a good effect on others, made the chess community quite angry. Indian GM Nihal Sarin and Hikaru Nakamura both spoke out against what the Russian did.
A Loss That Can’t Be Replaced
Naroditsky did a lot for chess that went beyond the board. He was one of the most popular people in modern chess because of his smart comments, online presence, and mentoring.
Carlsen commented, “He was such a help to the chess community.” “It’s sad for all of us.”
FIDE’s upcoming probe could set a big example for how to deal with cyberbullying and mental health issues in the professional chess scene.