Privacy Policy

ChessVC (“ChessVC”, “we”, “us”, “our”) provides an online chess service with optional voice features. This Privacy Policy describes how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard personal information in connection with our website and related services (collectively, the Service), including when you create an account, play games, use voice chat, or use optional support or payment features.

By using the Service, you acknowledge this Privacy Policy. If you do not agree, please do not use the Service.

This document is provided for general information and does not constitute legal advice. Depending on where you live, additional notices or rights may apply.

1. Who is responsible for your data?

The operator of ChessVC is the data controller for personal data processed through the Service (unless a separate controller relationship is stated for a specific feature). You can contact us about privacy matters via our Support page. Please include enough detail for us to identify your account (such as the email address you used to register).

2. Personal data we collect

We may collect the following categories of information:

Account and profile information

• Credentials & identifiers: email address; authentication data processed by our authentication provider (for example, password hashes and session tokens — we do not store your password in plain text).
• Public profile fields: username and related profile details you provide (for example, country / nationality where requested).
• Support communications: information you send when you contact us.

Gameplay and service usage

• Chess activity: game-related data needed to operate matches (for example, moves, game outcomes, timers, invite codes, opponent connections, and ratings such as Elo).
• Social / safety features: data relating to blocks, mutes, reports (if offered), friends or connections (if offered), and similar interactions.
• Technical logs: server and application logs that may include IP address, approximate location derived from IP, user-agent, timestamps, error diagnostics, security signals, and similar metadata needed to operate and secure the Service.

Voice and realtime connectivity

• Voice chat may use peer-to-peer or relayed realtime technologies (for example WebRTC). We process information needed to establish and maintain sessions (for example signaling, session identifiers, connectivity diagnostics). Unless we expressly tell you otherwise, we do not intend to record or store the audio content of your voice calls for playback.
• Other participants may hear what you say while voice features are active; use voice responsibly and see our Terms of Service for acceptable use rules.

Optional payments and supporter features

• If you make a voluntary payment or purchase supporter perks (for example via PayPal), payment processors receive payment information directly. We may receive limited transactional records (for example confirmation status, amounts, transaction identifiers, subscription or entitlement periods) needed to deliver what you paid for.

Cookies and similar technologies

• We use cookies and local storage as needed for authentication sessions, security, preferences (such as theme), and basic Service functionality.

3. How we use personal data

We use personal data to:

• Create and maintain accounts and profiles;
• Provide chess gameplay, matchmaking, ratings, invites, and related features;
• Operate realtime connectivity for games and voice;
• Maintain safety and integrity (including abuse prevention, fraud prevention, and enforcing our policies);
• Provide customer support and respond to requests;
• Comply with legal obligations and defend legal claims;
• Improve reliability and security (including debugging, analytics in aggregated form where applicable, and performance monitoring).

4. Legal bases (EEA / UK users)

Where GDPR / UK GDPR applies, we rely on one or more of the following legal bases: performance of a contract with you; legitimate interests that are not overridden by your rights (for example securing the Service and preventing abuse); compliance with legal obligations; and consent where required (for example certain optional communications or non-essential cookies, if used).

5. How we share personal data

We do not sell your personal information in the conventional sense of selling lists of individuals for money. We may share personal data with:

• Infrastructure and service providers who host the Service, provide databases, authentication, email delivery, monitoring, security, and related processing on our instructions (for example Supabase and hosting providers).
• Payment processors (for example PayPal) when you initiate payments.
• Professional advisers where appropriate (for example lawyers or auditors), subject to confidentiality obligations.
• Authorities when required by law, regulation, legal process, or to protect the rights, safety, and security of users and the public.
• Business transfers in connection with a merger, acquisition, financing, or sale of assets, subject to appropriate safeguards.

Your username and gameplay-related information may be visible to other users as part of normal Service operation (for example in-game, on leaderboards where offered, or when you interact with others).

6. International transfers

Our providers may process data in countries other than your own. Where required, we use appropriate safeguards (such as standard contractual clauses) or rely on adequacy decisions.

7. Retention

We retain personal data only as long as needed for the purposes described in this policy, unless a longer retention period is required or permitted by law (for example tax or accounting records for payments). Account data is typically retained until you delete your account or we delete inactive accounts according to our operational policies, subject to backups and legal holds.

8. Security

We implement technical and organizational measures designed to protect personal data. However, no method of transmission or storage is completely secure; we cannot guarantee absolute security.

9. Your rights and choices

Depending on your location, you may have rights to access, rectify, delete, restrict, or object to certain processing, and to data portability. You may also have the right to withdraw consent where processing is consent-based, and to lodge a complaint with a supervisory authority.

To exercise rights, contact us via Support. We may need to verify your request. Some rights may be limited (for example where we must retain data for legal reasons).

10. Children

The Service is not directed to children under the minimum age required to lawfully provide consent for online services in their jurisdiction. If you believe we have collected data from a child without appropriate authority, contact us and we will take appropriate steps.

11. Third-party sites and services

The Service may contain links to third-party websites or integrate third-party features. Their privacy practices are governed by their own policies. Our public site URL is https://chessvc.com.

12. Automated decision-making

We do not use solely automated decision-making that produces legal or similarly significant effects about you, unless we expressly disclose otherwise in the future.

13. Region-specific information

California (USA)

California residents may have additional rights under the CCPA/CPRA, including rights to know, delete, and correct certain personal information, and to opt out of certain sharing if applicable. We describe categories of data collected in Sections 2–5 above. To submit a request, contact us via Support.

14. Changes

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will post the updated policy on this page and adjust the “Last updated” date. If changes are material, we may provide additional notice (for example by email or an on-site banner).

15. Contact

Privacy inquiries: please reach out through Support.