Armenian-American Grandmaster Levon Aronian penned a heartfelt open letter to Russia’s Vladimir Kramnik, the 14th World Chess Champion, whom he considers one of his “chess parents” alongside Boris Gelfand and Gabriel Sargissian.
In the letter, Aronian urged Kramnik to seek a fresh start, calling for unity and a “proper, unbiased analysis.” This comes amid Kramnik’s increasingly critical stance toward online chess, where he has scrutinised games with a detective-like attitude, often raising suspicions and insinuations of cheating.
Kramnik has also taken legal action, filing a defamation lawsuit against online chess platform Chess.com, chess news outlet Chessdom, and Czech Grandmaster David Navara, following prolonged disputes with these parties.
Aronian appealed to Kramnik, stating, “We are a family; we can’t keep suing or threatening each other over questionable online analyses that, in most cases, don’t hold up.”
Aronian’s open letter to Kramnik
Dear @VBkramnik
Forgive me for addressing you publicly, but I feel that the chess world and the new generation need to know about who you are and I want you to remember it as well.
Vlad, you have always been an inspiration to me and to the majority of people who know you, as just like you, dedicated their lives to chess.
The first time I ever got to spend a longer time with you was in Paris, in 2005. I visited you for a short time to train with you, but soon I understood that a person with such a fanatical approach is so far from my personality that I can’t even learn to work like that and be so deeply dedicated to chess. During that time you were recovering from some health issues and the world was bullying you for not being a dominating “proper champion”, despite you winning 2 world championship matches against none other than Kasparov and Leko (who you beat in the last game!). Then came your match with Topalov in 2006 where you showed so much character after a scandalous “toiletgate” that to me was another act of bullying against you. Honestly around that time, after you won I felt like this heroism that you displayed in those years kind of nullified the unfair circumstances that led you to the match against Kasparov in 2000. It was a sign that you are here to change the game. Then your brilliant career continued, and your opening innovations and incredible spirit, in my opinion, make you a top 10 player in the history of chess (in my view 6th or 7th).
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So in my eyes, you will always be someone who was bullied and fairly fought for justice.
I will never forget how many times you gave me your helping hand and advised me. How many times have you pushed me towards chess when I was in a state of despair? If I exclude my first coaches, You, together with Borya Gelfand and Gabi Sargissian are my chess parents and I think that most of my Chess DNI comes from you.
My dear friend, I want to share something I feel that I haven’t yet shared with you.
Dear @VBkramnik
Forgive me for addressing you publicly, but I feel that the chess world and the new generation need to know about who you are and I want you to remember it as well.
Vlad, you have always been an inspiration to me and to the majority of people who know you, as…
— Levon Aronian (@LevAronian) June 28, 2025
The last few years after you retired I to my surprise saw a different Vlad that I never knew.
Vlad that may be because the new chess world does not appreciate you enough ( sports fans and organizations, unfortunately, have a very short memory). A person who faced so much public pressure has turned against the chess world. Vlad, brother, ask all of your chess friends, nobody thinks that what you are doing is good and pure. You are fighting your own demons, and I can understand how much it drains you both mentally and physically.
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A long time ago I read somewhere that most of the murders are committed because of disrespect. Vlad, guys like Danya, and David are not the ones that you should be having a vendetta against. I love them for what they are, perhaps a bit introverted but lacking any side of evil in them.
I know you as the biggest revolutionary when it comes to chess. You challenged every single dogma and proved that you understand the core of chess like nobody before or after you. I ask you, as a friend who has always been open and honest to you, please, challenge your convictions. You think you are saving chess from cheaters, but most of us see you as the guy with the hammer who thinks everything is a nail.
We are a family, we can’t go on suing or threatening each other for some weird online analysis that in most cases doesn’t make sense. We all have many friends in the world of mathematics, if you want, let’s unite everyone and make a proper unbiased analysis, but let us start from a fresh page.
Your friend, your fan, and your little brother Lev.
