In March 2025, the chess world was rocked by an unprecedented blitz match between 14-year-old American grandmaster Andy Woodward and veteran GM Daniel Naroditsky. The result? A shocking 15-0 sweep in favor of Woodward. But within 24 hours, whispers of cheating emerged, fueled by cryptic accusations from a high-profile chess figure.
So, what really happened? Let’s break it down.
The Match: A Historic Beatdown
Woodward, already a chess prodigy with a 3300+ Chess.com blitz rating, faced Naroditsky—a renowned speed chess specialist and content creator, in a 15-game blitz session. The outcome was staggering:
- 15 wins for Woodward
- 0 wins or draws for Naroditsky
- Multiple games ending in crushing tactical blunders by Naroditsky
The chess community was stunned. Beating a player of Naroditsky’s caliber 15-0 is nearly unheard of, even among elite GMs.
The Cheating Allegations
The next day, an unnamed top GM (widely speculated to be a certain outspoken critic of online cheating, and you know who he is) posted a series of cryptic tweets:
“Take it, cowards and opportunists quietly watching the integrity of chess being destroyed… Haven’t seen a single public reaction from chess players on this best performance in history. All the mice are sitting in their cozy holes.”
The implication was clear: He believed Woodward’s performance was too good to be true.
Analyzing the Games: Was There Foul Play?
A closer look at the match reveals some bizarre patterns:
- Naroditsky’s Uncharacteristic Play
- Repeated time trouble, often down over a minute in 3-minute blitz.
- Identical opening mistakes in multiple games (e.g., falling for the same queen trap twice).
- Blundering material early in ways atypical for a player of his caliber.
- Woodward’s Dominance
- Played sharp, accurate chess but nothing beyond super-GM level.
- Capitalized on Naroditsky’s tilt and time mismanagement.
- No evidence of engine-like precision, just clean, punishing chess.
- The Tilt Factor
- Naroditsky appeared distracted or frustrated, making unforced errors.
- Continued playing the same flawed openings despite losses.
- By the end, his rating dropped significantly, suggesting a mental collapse.
The Confirmed Members of the “Danya Adoption Club”
According to chess fans, five players have achieved this feat in online blitz:
- Hikaru Nakamura (2x)
- The blitz king himself has taken down Naroditsky in multiple sessions.
- Alireza Firouzja (2x)
- The young superstar was the first to do it, even before Hikaru.
- Vladislav Artemiev (Anonymous Account)
- The Russian GM allegedly did it under a secret username, though Naroditsky himself seemed unaware of this.
- Fans dug up old posts claiming Artemiev’s anonymous account crushed him.
- Hans Niemann (1x)
- The controversial GM joined the list with a decisive win.
- Andy Woodward (15-0 Sweep)
- The most recent and most brutal entry—Woodward’s 15-0 demolition in March 2025.
Conclusion: A Perfect Storm, Not Cheating
While Woodward’s 15-0 victory is extraordinary, there’s no concrete evidence of cheating. Instead, the match appears to be a case of:
✔ Naroditsky having an off day (possibly distracted or fatigued).
✔ Woodward playing near-flawless blitz chess.
✔ Psychological tilt snowballing into a historic losing streak.
The cheating accusations seem unfounded, driven more by shock than proof. If anything, this match highlights how even elite players can unravel under pressure.
Final Thoughts
Andy Woodward is undeniably a rising superstar, but this win, while spectacular, doesn’t require a cheating narrative to explain it. Sometimes, chess is just brutal.
As for Naroditsky? Even the best have days they’d rather forget.
I’m a passionate board game enthusiast and a skilled player in chess, xiangqi and Go. Words for Attacking Chess since 2023.