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Chess Player's Death Blamed on Accidental Overdose

American grandmaster Daniel Naroditsky died last year at age 29
Posted Jan 20, 2026 1:57 PM CST
Chess Player's Death Blamed on Accidental Overdose
This undated photo released by Charlotte Chess Center shows Daniel Naroditsky playing chess.   (Kelly Centrelli/Charlotte Chess Center via AP)

American chess star Daniel Naroditsky had a mix of stimulants and other drugs in his system when he died in October at age 29, according to a newly released toxicology report. The report by the North Carolina Office of the Chief Medical Examiner blamed his death on "accidental poisoning after ingesting a drug cocktail," reports People. The late grandmaster was found unresponsive on a couch in his Charlotte home last year.

Naroditsky had methamphetamine and amphetamine in his system, along with drugs known to be ingredients in the opioid-like kratom, per NBC News. At the time of his death, police said they were examining the case as a possible overdose or suicide. Friends had said he was upset before his death after being unfairly accused of cheating. Naroditsky was a former child prodigy who went on to become a prominent American commentator and coach.

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