Fair-Game Policy

01Independent play and fair competition

Clubchess is for players who choose their own moves and compete honestly. This policy applies to Friendly Games, Duels, daily competitions, tournaments, and other competitive play. Contact contact@clubchess.net with policy questions or a concern about a game.

The rules apply even when a breach goes undetected. Detection has limits, and no system guarantees a cheat-free game.

02Prohibited assistance and manipulation

• Do not use chess engines, AI assistants, move-suggestion extensions, tablebases, opening references, or another person’s analysis while a competitive game is in progress. Study and post-game analysis are welcome after the game ends.
• Do not use bots, scripts, or automation to choose or submit competitive moves, except an expressly approved accessibility input method that supplies no chess advice.
• Do not arrange outcomes, trade wins, lose deliberately to alter ratings, coordinate draws for reward manipulation, or exploit repeated pairings to manufacture points or prizes.
• Do not share, buy, sell, or impersonate accounts, use another person to play for you, or create additional accounts to avoid restrictions or manipulate eligibility.
• Do not bypass access restrictions, tamper with clocks or client requests, exploit a defect, falsify evidence, or intimidate another player. Report errors responsibly rather than using them for advantage.

03Accessibility and permitted tools

Keyboard navigation, screen readers, magnification, alternative input devices, and other accessibility aids are permitted when they present the position or enter the player’s own chosen move without evaluating it or recommending play. An accommodation must not be treated as cheating merely because its input pattern differs. Ask contact@clubchess.net about an uncertain setup before a competition.

04Security checks and game review

Before joining a new game or competition, players must verify their email, complete a play security check, and acknowledge the fair-play rules. A successful check is valid for a limited period on the signed-in session. It helps limit automated account use; it does not establish a person’s identity or prove that their moves are unaided. No identity documents are required.

Completed games, including draws, are screened for both players using recorded moves, timing, recent results, and repeated opponents. Engine-assisted analysis compares selected moves with Stockfish and combines those comparisons with other evidence to identify concerns for human review. Analysis can be delayed or fail. An incomplete check remains incomplete; it is not a finding that the game was fair. A signal is not proof of engine use, and no signal does not establish fair play. Strong moves, high accuracy, fast responses, or a winning streak alone are not reliable grounds for a cheating finding.

Automated checks create review evidence; they do not themselves decide that a player cheated, change a result, or confiscate funds. Prizes remain pending until the relevant checks and open cases are resolved. Failed analysis or too little evidence requires a recorded manual review before a prize can be credited. A pending check does not freeze an unrelated available balance, and draw or cancellation refunds are not held for engine analysis. A person reviews the evidence and any player explanation before a decision. The timing and scope of the analysis are limited, so it cannot detect every form of outside assistance.

05Reporting a concern

Use Report in the game and describe what happened. A successful submission shows a confirmation; if submission fails, the screen shows an error so you can retry. You can also email contact@clubchess.net with your username, game or event reference, approximate time, and a factual account. Include relevant evidence, but never credentials or private keys. Reports are reviewed by a person.

Avoid public accusations and repeated speculative reports. Good-faith mistakes should not be penalized; knowingly fabricated or abusive reports may themselves require review.

06Human review and proportionate measures

Reviews are handled by a person and may take longer when additional evidence is needed. We will communicate a review timetable and material updates where disclosure is permitted. If a review takes longer, we will explain the reason and the next expected update where disclosure is permitted. Restrictions must be reconsidered as the evidence develops and must not remain in place without a continuing basis.

A reviewer considers the game record, timing, context, the player’s explanation, and credible evidence. Possible outcomes include no action, a warning, corrected results, prize disqualification, temporary restrictions, or account closure. We will explain the reasons and duration where disclosure is permitted. A flag never automatically confiscates deposits; any financial adjustment needs a specific, documented basis and applicable rights must be preserved.

07Appeals and corrections

To appeal, email contact@clubchess.net. Identify the decision, explain your disagreement, and supply relevant new information. A different reviewer will assess the appeal where practicable. We will communicate the outcome and reasons where disclosure is permitted. Appeals are handled manually.

We will correct mistaken restrictions and affected records, and explain any resulting prize or balance adjustment. We retain review records according to the Privacy Policy. Internal review does not prevent a player from exercising rights or seeking independent remedies available under applicable law.