Privacy Policy

01Who is responsible

Clubchess is responsible for the handling of personal information described in this policy. Send questions, privacy requests, or complaints to contact@clubchess.net.

This policy covers the website, accounts, games, competitions, wallet features, and correspondence with us. It explains the information we handle, the purposes for which we use it, and your available choices and rights.

02Information we handle

We receive information you provide, information generated through your use of the service, and transaction information from the Bitcoin network and infrastructure providers. The categories depend on the features you use.

• Account information: email address, public username, display name, password hash, optional country selection, account status, policy acceptance versions and account creation or onboarding times. Passwords are checked using a stored hash, rather than stored in readable form.
• Session and security information: session identifiers, browser or device user-agent information, sign-in and activity times, session expiry, play-security check and fair-play acknowledgement times, and IP-related information. Session records include a protected IP hash; service logs and temporary rate-limit records may also contain an IP address. A successful play-security check is recorded for a limited period on the signed-in session; a new check may be required when it expires.
• Game and competition information: moves, server timestamps, clocks, opponents, ratings, results, invitations, tournament entries, standings, competition points, fair-play signals, operator decisions and related audit records.
• Wallet information, when enabled: assigned deposit addresses, withdrawal destinations, transaction identifiers, amounts, network confirmations, internal ledger entries, reservations, fees and payment-review records. These records can link an account with blockchain activity.
• Security settings and correspondence: two-step verification information when enabled, support emails, complaints, evidence you voluntarily supply and our responses. Do not send passwords, wallet seed phrases or private keys to us.

03No identity documents required

We do not require government-issued identification, a selfie, or proof of address to create an account, play, deposit Bitcoin, or request a withdrawal. No-KYC does not mean anonymous or unrecorded use: we still handle the account, security, gameplay, and transaction information described above.

Withdrawal requests are processed automatically after authentication and payment checks pass. We may hold any withdrawal for manual review if we suspect foul play, including cheating, fraud, account abuse, or other prohibited activity. Account-security checks and these reviews use relevant account, game, and transaction information; they do not require identity documents. Do not send identity documents to Clubchess.

04Why we use information

We use account and session information to provide access, protect accounts, remember security settings and respond to requests. We use game records to operate matches, maintain ratings and standings, resolve disputes and assess possible unfair play. Wallet records support deposits, withdrawals, accounting, reconciliation and the review of disputed or unusual activity.

Operational records help diagnose failures, limit abusive traffic, investigate security incidents and maintain the service. We also use relevant information to establish, exercise or defend legal claims and to respond to lawful requirements. We do not use policy acceptance as blanket consent for unrelated marketing or optional tracking.

Where a law requires us to identify a legal basis, service delivery is generally considered in relation to performing our agreement with you; security and fair-play review in relation to legitimate interests, subject to a necessity and rights assessment; and mandatory records or disclosures in relation to an applicable legal obligation. Optional uses requiring consent must have a separate choice. The relevant basis depends on the particular use and the law that applies; you may contact us for an explanation relating to your information.

05What other people can see

Your username, display name, rating, competition results, game moves and participation may be visible to other players or spectators and appear in standings or game histories. Choose a public name that does not disclose information you want to keep private. Live games may be available for other signed-in users to watch.

Your email address, password hash and session credentials are not intended for public display. Bitcoin is a public network: addresses, amounts and transaction histories can be visible indefinitely, and people may be able to connect that activity with you. Deleting a Clubchess account cannot delete records from the blockchain.

06Cookies and device storage

The service uses the first-party cc_session cookie to maintain an authenticated session. The cookie is HTTP-only so application scripts cannot read it. Its lifetime is configurable; sessions may also expire after inactivity or be revoked through account security controls. These session controls do not mean every historical session record is automatically deleted.

A local device preference, cc:sound, remembers whether game sounds are enabled. You can remove it through your browser’s site-data controls. Blocking the session cookie prevents sign-in; clearing site data may sign you out and reset preferences.

Clubchess does not use advertising pixels or audience-analytics tracking. We have not adopted the sale of personal information or its sharing for cross-context behavioural advertising as a business practice. Any future optional tracking or materially different use must be assessed, disclosed and offered the choices required by applicable law before it starts.

07Service providers and disclosures

Information is made available to authorised personnel and operational providers only as needed for their functions. Provider categories can include hosting, database infrastructure, security, email correspondence and Bitcoin node or transaction infrastructure. Cloudflare Turnstile checks browser and security signals to help limit automated account access and game entry; it does not collect KYC documents through Clubchess. The Bitcoin integration uses Bitcoin network nodes operated by Clubchess; network addresses and transaction data are processed by that node infrastructure to observe or broadcast Bitcoin activity, and Bitcoin transactions are by nature visible on the public Bitcoin network.

We may disclose relevant records where a valid legal requirement applies, to protect rights or investigate misuse, or as part of a business reorganisation subject to appropriate protections and notices. Disclosure must be limited to the relevant purpose. We do not use an identity-document KYC or sanctions-screening provider.

Service providers may process information in different jurisdictions. International transfers are subject to the safeguards required by applicable law. Contact contact@clubchess.net to ask about the providers and transfer arrangements relevant to your information.

08Retention and account closure

Retention must be tied to the purpose of each record: the duration of an account or active session, the period needed to resolve a game or payment dispute, financial recordkeeping requirements, security investigations, limitation periods and any specific legal hold. Records no longer needed for a justified purpose should be deleted or irreversibly anonymised, including through an appropriate backup-expiry process.

Retention periods vary with the purpose of the record and applicable legal requirements. Account closure does not automatically erase all records. Deletion requests are assessed manually against the criteria above; send your request to contact@clubchess.net. We do not promise immediate deletion of records that remain necessary for a legitimate purpose.

Closing an account may require completion of outstanding games, resolution of a balance or preservation of limited records where necessary and lawful. A legitimate retention exception does not justify keeping all account information indefinitely. We will explain any applicable reason for refusing or limiting an erasure request.

09Security and automated signals

The application includes password hashing, protected session cookies, access permissions and optional two-step verification. No system or transmission method is completely secure. Report a suspected account compromise promptly to contact@clubchess.net and avoid sharing account credentials.

Fair-play tools use recorded moves, timing, playing patterns, and engine move comparisons to identify cases for human review. Analysis outcomes, incomplete checks, and review evidence are recorded. These signals are not proof of cheating and do not themselves impose a ban or confiscate funds. You may ask for an explanation and human reconsideration of a decision that affects you, subject to lawful limits on disclosure of other people’s information or investigation details.

10Your choices and rights

Depending on the law that applies, you may request access, correction, deletion, restriction, a portable copy of information, or withdrawal of consent for a consent-based use. You may also have the right to complain to a competent data-protection authority without first using our complaint process. Withdrawing consent does not invalidate processing that was lawful before withdrawal.

Right to object: where processing relies on legitimate interests, you may object on grounds relating to your circumstances. If direct marketing is introduced, you may object to that use. We will assess requests under the applicable legal requirements rather than treating these rights as universally identical.

Send requests to contact@clubchess.net with your username and a description of the request. We may check that a request comes from the account holder before disclosing or changing account information. These checks use existing account information and do not require identity documents. Do not email identity documents. We will explain the outcome and any exception within the period required by applicable law. Requests are handled by a person.

11Age requirements and changes

Clubchess accounts are for adults aged at least 18, or a higher minimum age that applies to them. We rely on the age declaration made at registration; we do not collect identity documents or independently verify a person’s age. If you believe an underage person has supplied information, contact us so the account and records can be reviewed.

Material changes to this notice will be identified by an updated version and date, with additional notice or choices where required. A changed notice alone does not authorise a new use that requires consent or another legal basis. Questions about this policy may be directed to contact@clubchess.net.