The Dark Side of the Chess World
Cheating in Chess
With the rise of chess in recent years and the technology surrounding the industry, cheating was bound to increase. It's a problem perhaps more prominent in chess than it is in many other competitions. On a daily basis, people cheat at chess, especially online, by using computer engines. These supercomputers are programmed to find the ideal moves for a player in any given situation, and their abilities eclipse those of any player in the world. Sometimes this goes unnoticed, but many times, websites such as chess.com will flag these games and penalize the offending party, usually deactivating their account. The process is quick and effective, generally resolving any complaints that may arise. Rating points that are lost in these games are restored to the other user's account and a formal apology is sent to their inbox. However, the problem doesn't simply stop at online games.
Cheating may happen in person as well and is not uncommon at tournaments that occur over the board (in person). Players may attempt to communicate with others or leave the tournament room to access their phone and analyze the game in a critical position. In most cases, immediate action is not taken without the proctors physically seeing the accused player cheating. They will monitor the player throughout the rest of the tournament, but many times, nothing will happen. However, in the world of the chess elites, cheating accusations hold more weight. In 2022, Hans Niemann was accused of cheating against the world champion of the time, Magnus Carlsen. While there was no concrete evidence that Niemann had cheated, the accusations by the former world champion were very strong. It was difficult for the chess world to overlook and many people believed Carlsen despite him presenting little to no evidence. Before this tournament, Neimann was one of the most popular up-and-coming grandmasters in the chess world. He had a popular Twitch channel and was heavily promoted by chess.com. However, during this scandal, he had his partnerships revoked and was shunned by the chess community. After a failed defamation lawsuit in 2023, he was eventually restored to all of his platforms but the damage was done. Despite being ranked #19 in the world at only 22 years of age, his popularity lulls far behind that of many similar players of similar age and skill. The chess world still sees him in a negative light, with his profile on chess.com displaying a picture of him scowling and his world ranking being hidden despite being one of the best players in the world.
Daniel Naroditsky
Cheating accusations can have far more negative effects than simply being shadow-banned from the chess community. Daniel Naroditsky, an American grandmaster, was one of the most proficient rapid and blitz players in the world. He was another highly popular streamer on Twitch, and was often a participant or commentator for major tournaments sponsored by chess.com, both online and over-the-board. In 2024, he was accused by former world champion Vladimir Kramnik of cheating in online matches. Kramnik stated that his play was too perfect for him to be thinking of these moves himself. Naroditsky was one of many players Kramnik has falsely accused of cheating over the years. Despite the wide support from many in the chess community, including world #1 Magnus Carlsen, Naroditsky's mental health declined over the past year. He believed that his image was ruined stating
“Ever since the Kramnik stuff, I feel like if I start doing well, people assume the worst of intentions.”
Daniel Naroditsky passed away on October 19th, 2025, at 29 year of age, approximately a year after the first accusations from Kramnik. While there has not been an official cause of death released, many believe that it was a suicide or drug overdose as a result of cyberbullying. As a former world champion, Kramnik has a large influence on the chess community, and the repeated unfounded harassment of Naroditsky led by him is believed to be the cause of his death. Kramnik is currently being investigated for his role in the death of Naroditsky. He was previously banned in 2023 from participating in chess.com prize tournaments after falsely accusing players of cheating.
Cheating is a huge problem in the chess community and the results can be catastrophic. As the game continues to grow online, protecting the players is of the utmost importance. While eliminating cheating from the game is something everyone wants to see, the side effects of accusations, false or not, are something that needs to be addressed. Daniel Naroditsky's death was a tragic accident and a very dark day for the chess community. The chess world can only hope that this problem can be eliminated swiftly as all players should be able to enjoy the game in a safe and friendly environment.
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