Overview
- His death was confirmed by the Charlotte Chess Center and FIDE, and no cause has been released.
- Organizers opened the ongoing U.S. Championship with a moment of silence, and tributes from leading grandmasters and fans poured in worldwide.
- He rose from World Under-12 champion in 2007 to grandmaster in 2013, reached a 2647 peak Elo, and won the U.S. National Blitz title in August with a perfect 14/14.
- Beyond competition, he built large followings on YouTube and Twitch, wrote chess columns for The New York Times, and coached as a resident GM in Charlotte.
- Kramnik’s 2024 online-cheating accusations were denied and disputed by peers, and unverified posthumous social-media claims have drawn criticism for their timing and lack of evidence.