Oct. 22, 2025, 8:07 AM EDTBy Jason Abbruzzese and Corky SiemaszkoAmerican grandmaster Daniel Naroditsky’s death has sent shock waves through the professional chess world, with many top players blasting a Russian rival who accused him of cheating during online matches.They said Naroditsky, whose death at age 29 was reported Monday, was bullied relentlessly online by Russian former world champion Vladimir Kramnik, with some calling for Kramnik to be banned from the game.Kramnik, who has accused many players of cheating in online play, first voiced “concerns” about Naroditsky’s play last year, leading to an ongoing feud between the two players. Kramnik routinely posted online about Naroditsky, calling for an investigation into his play and at times appearing to threaten legal action against him.In an October 2024 interview, Naroditsky characterized Kramnik’s efforts as “a sustained, evil and absolutely unhinged attempt to destroy my life.”Others in the chess community said the accusations had taken their toll.”He said he was under immense stress due to a lot of baseless accusations — headed by Kramnik, of course,” Indian grandmaster Nihal Sarin, who said he was the last to play Naroditsky, told The Indian Express.”I can totally imagine the pain he was going through and it has been going on for a very long time,” he told the paper. Sarin did not immediately respond to an NBC News request for comment.