Terms of Service
Last updated: April 11, 2026
1. Acceptance of Terms
These Terms of Service ("Terms") constitute a legally binding agreement between you and ChessMMO ("we," "us," or "our") governing your use of the chessMMO.gg website, the ChessMMO iOS app, the ChessMMO Android app, and all related game servers (collectively, the "Service"). By downloading, installing, creating an account, or otherwise using the Service, you confirm that you have read, understood, and agree to be bound by these Terms and our Privacy Policy. If you do not agree, do not use the Service. You must be at least 13 years old to create an account. If you are between 13 and 18, you represent that a parent or legal guardian has reviewed and agreed to these Terms on your behalf.
2. Accounts & Registration
You may play ChessMMO as a guest without creating an account; guest play does not persist match history or ELO ratings. To access persistent features, you must register with a valid email address and create a username. You are solely responsible for: • Keeping your login credentials confidential • All activity that occurs under your account • Choosing a username that is not offensive, impersonating, or deceptive You may not create more than one account per person for the purpose of circumventing bans, ELO floors, or other restrictions. Duplicate login sessions from the same account are not permitted — a new login will automatically terminate any existing session for that account. We reserve the right to reclaim or require you to change a username that violates these Terms or that we determine, in our sole discretion, is inappropriate.
3. Permitted Use
ChessMMO is a free-to-play multiplayer chess game. You may use the Service solely for personal, non-commercial entertainment. You agree not to: • Use any bot, script, macro, automated tool, chess engine, or artificial intelligence to play moves on your behalf • Exploit bugs, glitches, or unintended mechanics to gain an unfair advantage • Attempt to reverse-engineer, decompile, or disassemble any part of the Service • Probe, scan, or test the vulnerability of our servers or networks • Inject, intercept, or modify network traffic between your device and our servers • Use the Service to transmit spam, malware, or any harmful content • Use the Service for any unlawful purpose or in violation of any applicable local, national, or international law or regulation • Sell, trade, or transfer your account to another person
4. Game Conduct & Community Standards
ChessMMO is a shared persistent world. You agree to treat other players with basic respect. You may not: • Harass, threaten, bully, or abuse other players through any in-game mechanism • Use racist, sexist, homophobic, or otherwise discriminatory language or usernames • Intentionally refuse to move or abandon games repeatedly to manipulate ratings or frustrate opponents • Deliberately disconnect from games to avoid a loss (the server applies a 15-second reconnection window; games may be forfeited after that window expires) We reserve the right to mute, suspend, or permanently ban any account for violation of these conduct standards, at our sole discretion and without prior notice.
5. Fair Play & Ratings Integrity
All chess move validation is performed server-side. The game server is the sole authoritative source of truth for board state, clocks, and game outcomes. Client-side manipulation of game state has no effect on the server record. ELO ratings reflect the competitive record of a human player. The following are grounds for immediate account termination and rating reset: • Any use of chess engines, AI assistants, or tablebases during a game • Rating manipulation through arranged results, sandbagging, or multi-account abuse • Any technical tampering with the game server connection We may review flagged accounts and reset or adjust ratings at our discretion. Rating decisions are final.
6. Game World & Time Controls
The ChessMMO world consists of a persistent 2D tile map with chess boards stationed at fixed locations, each with a designated time control (ranging from 1-minute bullet to 10-minute rapid). By sitting at a board you agree to play under its posted time control. A game begins when both seats are occupied. Colors may be randomized by the server. If a player stands up or disconnects before both seats are filled, no game is recorded. Once a game is in progress, you are expected to play to completion or resign; the Service is designed for real-time play and is not suitable for correspondence or asynchronous use. Time flags, checkmates, and resignations are enforced server-side. Our match records are final.
7. Mobile Application & Updates
The ChessMMO mobile application is distributed through the Apple App Store and Google Play Store. Your download and use of the app is also governed by the applicable app store's terms of service. We use Expo Application Services (EAS) to deliver over-the-air (OTA) JavaScript updates. By using the app, you consent to automatic delivery of OTA updates, which may change app behavior without requiring a new App Store submission. We will not use OTA updates to introduce material changes that conflict with these Terms without updating this document first. We reserve the right to modify, suspend, or discontinue the Service (or any part of it) at any time with or without notice. We will make reasonable efforts to notify users of planned maintenance.
8. Intellectual Property
The ChessMMO application — including its source code, graphics, tile art, character sprites, sound assets, server architecture, and all related content — is the exclusive property of ChessMMO and is protected by copyright, trademark, and other applicable intellectual property laws. The rules of chess are in the public domain and are not claimed as our property. You are granted a limited, non-exclusive, non-transferable, revocable license to use the Service for its intended purpose. You may not copy, reproduce, modify, distribute, create derivative works from, or reverse-engineer any part of the Service without our express written permission. User-generated content (usernames, any text sent through game systems) remains yours, but you grant ChessMMO a worldwide, royalty-free license to use it in connection with operating the Service.
9. Disclaimers
THE SERVICE IS PROVIDED "AS IS" AND "AS AVAILABLE" WITHOUT WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, OR NON-INFRINGEMENT. We do not guarantee: • Uninterrupted or error-free access to the Service • That your ELO rating, match history, or account data will be preserved indefinitely • That the Service will be free of bugs, lag, or disconnections • That any particular time control, board configuration, or game feature will remain available The Service may be modified, suspended, or discontinued at any time, including permanently. We are not liable for any loss of progress, ratings, or data that results from service interruption or termination.
10. Limitation of Liability
TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, CHESSMMO AND ITS OPERATORS SHALL NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, EXEMPLARY, OR PUNITIVE DAMAGES ARISING OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH YOUR USE OF THE SERVICE, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO LOSS OF DATA, LOSS OF ELO RATING, LOSS OF PROFITS, OR LOSS OF GOODWILL, EVEN IF WE HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. OUR TOTAL CUMULATIVE LIABILITY TO YOU FOR ANY CLAIMS ARISING OUT OF OR RELATED TO THE SERVICE SHALL NOT EXCEED THE GREATER OF (A) THE AMOUNT YOU PAID US IN THE 12 MONTHS PRECEDING THE CLAIM OR (B) USD $10. Some jurisdictions do not allow the exclusion of certain warranties or the limitation of liability for certain damages. In those jurisdictions, our liability is limited to the greatest extent permitted by law.
11. Indemnification
You agree to defend, indemnify, and hold harmless ChessMMO and its operators from and against any claims, damages, losses, costs, and expenses (including reasonable legal fees) arising out of or related to: (a) your use of the Service; (b) your violation of these Terms; (c) your violation of any third-party rights; or (d) any content you submit or transmit through the Service.
12. Termination
We may suspend or terminate your account at any time for violation of these Terms, harmful conduct toward other players, or any reason we deem necessary to protect the Service or its community. You may delete your account at any time by contacting us at dan@chessmmo.gg. Upon termination, your license to use the Service ends immediately. Sections 8 (Intellectual Property), 10 (Limitation of Liability), 11 (Indemnification), 13 (Governing Law), and 14 (Dispute Resolution) survive termination.
13. Governing Law
These Terms are governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of California, United States, without regard to its conflict of law principles. If you are located outside the United States, you may also have rights under the laws of your local jurisdiction that cannot be waived by contract.
14. Dispute Resolution
If you have a dispute with us, please contact us first at dan@chessmmo.gg and we will attempt to resolve it informally. If informal resolution fails within 30 days, disputes shall be resolved by binding individual arbitration under the rules of the American Arbitration Association, conducted in California. You waive any right to participate in a class-action lawsuit or class-wide arbitration. Nothing in this section prevents either party from seeking injunctive or other equitable relief in a court of competent jurisdiction to prevent irreparable harm.
15. Modifications to These Terms
We reserve the right to modify these Terms at any time. When we make material changes, we will update the "Last updated" date and, where appropriate, notify users via in-app notice or email. Your continued use of the Service after the effective date of revised Terms constitutes your acceptance of those Terms. We encourage you to review these Terms periodically.
16. Contact
For questions about these Terms or to report a violation, contact us: Email: dan@chessmmo.gg Website: chessmmo.gg