Privacy

Privacy Policy

Last updated: June 2025 · We take your privacy seriously.

🔒 Short version: We don't collect your name, email, or any personal information. No accounts, no tracking, no ads.

1. What We Collect

CHESS is designed to be as private as possible. We collect minimal data to make the game work:

Player ID (local storage): A randomly generated anonymous ID stored only in your browser. It is used to reconnect you to your active game if you refresh the page. It never leaves your device to us directly.
Username (local storage): The display name you optionally enter before a game. Stored locally and sent to the game server only for display in the game room.
Game data (server): Move history, timestamps, and room state are temporarily held in server memory for the duration of the game and are not persisted to any database.

2. What We Do NOT Collect

No name, email address, or phone number
No payment information of any kind
No IP addresses stored beyond standard server logs
No advertising identifiers or third-party tracking cookies
No biometric or location data

3. Cookies & Local Storage

We do not use tracking cookies. We use your browser's localStorage and sessionStorage APIs purely for game functionality (reconnection, username preference). You can clear these at any time in your browser settings.

4. Third-Party Services

This application is hosted on Vercel (frontend) and Render (game server). Standard access logs (IP, timestamp, request path) may be retained by these platforms per their own privacy policies. We do not access or use these logs.

5. Children's Privacy

CHESS does not knowingly collect any information from children under 13. The Service does not require any account creation, and no personal data is solicited.

6. Data Retention

Game session data (move history, room state) exists only in server RAM during the game. When the game ends or the server restarts, all game data is permanently erased. Nothing is written to a database.

7. Your Rights

Since we do not store personal data, there is nothing for us to delete, correct, or export on your behalf. To remove your local anonymous player ID, simply clear your browser's local storage for this site.

8. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. Any changes will be reflected on this page with an updated date. Continued use of the Service constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.