THE RUSSIAN DEFENSE

Chess Champ’s Cheating Claims Against Late Rival Backfire

A grandmaster’s untimely death has shaken the chess world to its core.

A former chess world champion has had a complaint filed against him by the International Chess Federation (FIDE) amid a twisting saga of cheating allegations and death. Russian Vladimir Kramnik, 50, is accused of levelling unproven claims of unfair play against a host of players. Among them is late California grandmaster Daniel Naroditsky, who died last month at the age of 29 under unspecified circumstances. At the center of FIDE’s claims is “the insulting of an individual’s dignity.” The case was referred to its Ethics and Disciplinary Commission, citing a “pattern of conduct over roughly two years.” The Associated Press reports how, in a livestream shortly before his death, Naroditsky had spoken of the pain Kramnik’s accusations had caused. “Ever since the Kramnik stuff, I feel like if I start doing well, people assume the worst of intentions,” he said. “The issue is just the lingering effect of it.” Kramnik was a world chess champion from 2000 to 2007. The Daily Beast has contacted Kramnik, who previously stated, “I have not bullied Daniel Naroditsky, nor ever made personal insults towards him.”