Fair Play Policy

1. The Fair Play commitment

Every ChessOnes user agrees to:

1. Play every game using only their own skill, judgment, and knowledge — without any outside assistance
2. Hold and use only a single account that honestly reflects their playing ability
3. Compete in all rated games, tournaments, and ladder matches in good faith
4. Report suspected violations through proper channels rather than retaliating against suspected cheaters
5. Maintain respectful conduct toward every other user on the platform
6. Preserve the integrity and enjoyment of competitive chess for the entire community

2. Prohibited conduct

2.1 Engine assistance (computer cheating)

Using chess engines, computer analysis software, artificial intelligence tools, or any automated system to assist in selecting, evaluating, or confirming your moves during a live game on ChessOnes is strictly prohibited.

This prohibition applies to:

• All rated games (Bullet, Blitz, Rapid, and any other rated time control)
• All unrated games played against other human users
• All tournament games (Arena and any other competitive format)
• Play vs. Friends games that affect ratings or leaderboard standing

Engine and computer assistance is permitted ONLY in the following explicitly designated contexts:

• The ChessOnes post-game Analysis Board (reviewing a completed game)
• Interactive learning tools, puzzles, and course exercises within the Chess Foundations learning section, where engine feedback is a built-in part of the exercise
• Play vs. Bot mode, where you are explicitly matched against a computer opponent

Outside of these designated contexts, every move played on ChessOnes must originate entirely from your own thinking.

2.2 External human assistance

Receiving real-time assistance from any other person during a live game is prohibited. This includes:

• Having another person physically or remotely control your moves
• Receiving move suggestions from a coach, friend, or third party via any communication channel (voice, chat, video call, or any other medium) during an active game
• Consulting another human's analysis during a game in progress

Studying openings, endgames, or tactics before a game session is entirely permitted and encouraged. The prohibition applies only to real-time assistance during a live game.

2.3 Multi-accounting

Each person may hold only one ChessOnes account at any time. The following are all violations of this rule:

• Creating a second or additional account for any reason
• Creating a new account after being suspended or permanently banned (ban evasion)
• Creating a lower-rated account to obtain easier matchups or tournament seedings
• Creating accounts to artificially inflate or deflate the rating of any account
• Allowing another person to use your account, or using another person's account
• Operating accounts under different identities to circumvent detection

2.4 Rating manipulation

Deliberately manipulating your rating undermines the foundation of fair matchmaking and competitive standing on ChessOnes. The following are prohibited:

• Intentionally losing games to reduce your rating for strategic advantage (sandbagging)
• Arranging game results with a willing opponent to alter either player's rating
• Repeatedly abandoning or disconnecting from games in a manner that exploits how the rating system handles incomplete results
• Any coordinated effort between two or more users to manipulate ratings or leaderboard standings

2.5 Collusion and match-fixing

Pre-arranging or coordinating the result of any game or tournament match is prohibited. This includes:

• Agreeing in advance which player will win, lose, or draw
• Deliberately conceding to a specific opponent to help them advance in a tournament
• Coordinating with other players to manipulate Arena standings or Leaderboard Points
• Any private arrangement between players that affects the authenticity of a competitive result, regardless of whether ratings are directly affected

2.6 Exploitation of platform bugs or vulnerabilities

If you discover a bug, unintended behaviour, or security vulnerability in the ChessOnes platform, you must not exploit it. You are encouraged to report it responsibly to security@chessones.com. We will acknowledge good-faith reports and, where appropriate, credit the reporter.

Deliberate exploitation of platform bugs for any competitive, financial, or other advantage is a serious Fair Play violation and may, in egregious cases, also carry legal consequences.

2.7 Abusive and harmful conduct

The following conduct in any ChessOnes communication channel — including in-game chat, private messages, and public forums — is prohibited:

• Harassment, insults, threats, or intimidation directed at any user
• Hate speech or discriminatory language targeting race, ethnicity, nationality, gender, religion, disability, sexual orientation, or any other protected characteristic
• Sexually explicit or graphic content of any kind
• Deliberate use of chat or messages to distract, tilt, or intimidate opponents during an active game
• Sustained trolling or bad-faith communication designed to disrupt other users' experience
• Attempting to use private messages to solicit collusion or cheating from other users

2.8 Account selling and sharing

ChessOnes accounts are personal and non-transferable. Accounts may not be sold, given, rented, borrowed, or otherwise transferred to any other individual for any reason.

3. How we detect violations

ChessOnes uses a combination of automated systems and human expertise to identify Fair Play violations. No enforcement action is taken based on automated analysis alone.

3.1 Automated statistical analysis

Our systems continuously monitor game data across the platform, analysing factors including:

• Move accuracy and correlation with engine-optimal moves across a player's game history
• Deviation of move quality relative to a player's established rating band
• Time-per-move patterns that are statistically inconsistent with human decision-making
• Sudden, statistically improbable improvements in performance across sessions
• Patterns of resignation, disconnection, or draw offer behaviour inconsistent with the position on the board

Automated flags do not result in any account action. All flagged accounts are referred to the Fair Play Team for human review.

3.2 Manual review by the Fair Play Team

Trained ChessOnes Fair Play reviewers examine flagged accounts in full context, including:

• The player's complete game history across multiple sessions and opponents — not isolated games
• Longitudinal behavioural patterns over time
• Account metadata and device/network fingerprinting to identify linked accounts
• Reports submitted by other users, with any supporting context they have provided

3.3 Community reports

Any user may report a suspected Fair Play violation using the "Report" function available on any game review page, user profile, chat message, or forum post. All reports are reviewed by the Fair Play Team. Reports are confidential; the identity of the reporting user is never disclosed to the subject of the report.

Submitting false or bad-faith reports against other users is itself a violation of this policy and may result in enforcement action against the reporter.

3.4 Cross-platform cooperation

In cases involving serious, substantiated Fair Play violations, ChessOnes may cooperate with other chess platforms or international chess organisations, including FIDE, where appropriate. Any such cooperation will be conducted in a manner consistent with our Privacy Policy.

4. Enforcement and consequences

ChessOnes applies proportionate and consistent enforcement. The appropriate consequence depends on the nature, severity, context, and history of the violation.

4.1 Warning

For first-time or minor violations — such as an isolated incident of unsportsmanlike language in chat — we may issue a formal written warning. Warnings are recorded on your account and will be considered as context in any future enforcement decision.

4.2 Game nullification and rating correction

Where Fair Play violations are confirmed, affected game results may be nullified, including:

• Reversing the game result (a win becomes a loss for the offending account)
• Adjusting ratings to remove any points unfairly gained or lost as a result of the violation
• Retroactively correcting ratings of opponents who were fraudulently defeated
• Removing fraudulent results from tournament standings and leaderboard records

4.3 Temporary suspension

Accounts may be suspended for a fixed period (ranging from 24 hours to 90 days) for:

• Moderately serious violations, including limited or first-time confirmed engine use
• Repeated minor violations following a prior warning
• Suspected multi-accounting or collusion pending the outcome of an investigation
• Patterns of abusive chat following prior warnings

4.4 Permanent ban

Permanent and irrevocable account termination is applied for the following:

• Confirmed engine assistance in any rated or tournament game
• Confirmed multi-accounting, particularly following a prior suspension or ban
• Confirmed collusion or match-fixing
• Severe, sustained, or targeted harassment of other users
• Deliberate exploitation of platform bugs for competitive or financial gain
• Ban evasion — creating or using any account following a permanent ban
• Any conduct ChessOnes determines poses a serious threat to the integrity of the competitive environment or the safety of other users

A permanently banned user loses all access to the Service immediately and irrevocably. Any premium subscription or paid feature access in effect at the time of a permanent ban is forfeited with no right to a refund, as acknowledged in the Terms of Service.

4.5 Additional remedies

In cases involving fraud, financial harm, illegal conduct, or serious platform abuse, ChessOnes reserves the right to pursue all available legal remedies and to cooperate fully with relevant law enforcement or regulatory authorities.

5. Appeals process

ChessOnes is committed to fair, transparent, and consistent enforcement. If you believe an enforcement action has been applied to your account incorrectly, you have the right to appeal.

5.1 How to submit an appeal

Submit your appeal by email within 30 days of the enforcement action to:

fairplay@chessones.com

Subject line: "Fair Play Appeal — [Your ChessOnes Username]"

Your appeal must include:

• Your ChessOnes username
• A clear statement explaining why you believe the action was applied incorrectly
• Any supporting evidence, context, or explanation you wish the review team to consider

5.2 Review process

Your appeal will be assigned to a member of the Fair Play Team who had no involvement in the original enforcement decision. We aim to respond to all appeals within 14 business days of receipt. Complex cases may require additional time; we will notify you if this applies.

5.3 Possible outcomes

Following review, the appeal will be resolved as one of the following:

• Upheld: The original enforcement action is confirmed as correct and stands.
• Modified: The action is adjusted (for example, a permanent ban reduced to a defined suspension period with conditions).
• Overturned: The action is reversed, your account is fully reinstated, and any affected ratings or records are restored where possible.

5.4 Finality of appeal decision

The outcome of a Fair Play appeal is ChessOnes' final internal decision on the matter. No further internal review of the same case will be conducted. This internal process does not affect any legal rights you may have under applicable law.

5.5 Account status during review

An account under a temporary suspension may appeal and will have its suspension extended if the review period exceeds the original suspension duration. An account under a permanent ban will not be reinstated during the appeal review period.

6. Rating and leaderboard integrity

ChessOnes is committed to the accuracy and fairness of its rating system and public leaderboards. We will:

• Remove all rating points gained through confirmed cheating, multi-accounting, or collusion
• Restore rating points to opponents who were fraudulently defeated, where evidence is clear
• Apply retroactive rating corrections where the evidence base supports doing so
• Remove fraudulent results from all public leaderboards and seasonal tournament records
• Conduct periodic audits of top-ranked accounts as part of ongoing integrity monitoring

We do not guarantee the retroactive detection of every historic violation, but we commit to acting on all substantiated evidence and to prioritising corrections that affect current competitive standings.

7. Tournament-specific provisions

7.1

All Fair Play rules apply with full force in all ChessOnes competitive formats, including all Arena tournaments, Bullet, Blitz, and Rapid events, and any other tournament formats introduced in the future.

7.2

Leaderboard Points earned through confirmed cheating or collusion will be voided and removed from all public seasonal and historical leaderboards.

7.3

For any ChessOnes Season Finals or other top-tier qualifying events, ChessOnes reserves the right to withhold competitive placement or rewards from any player for whom an active Fair Play investigation is open during, or within 14 days following, the relevant competitive period — pending the conclusion of that investigation.

7.4

Special tournament mechanics, such as Berserk (halving remaining clock time for a bonus point) or any score multiplier features in Arena formats, do not modify or reduce the applicability of any rule in this policy.

7.5

Tournament pairings on ChessOnes are determined algorithmically to ensure fairness. Any attempt to manipulate pairings — including through deliberate score manipulation or coordinated withdrawal — is a violation of this policy.

8. The spirit of the game

Chess has endured for over a thousand years because it is one of the purest tests of human intellect ever devised. No hidden information. No luck. No physical advantage. Just two minds, one board, and the full depth of human strategic thought.

When you use an engine during a game on ChessOnes, you are not winning. You are replacing your thinking with a machine's calculation. You are deceiving your opponent, every player reading the leaderboard, and every user who trusts that this platform is honest.

ChessOnes is built for players who want their real ability acknowledged — who want to improve, compete, and experience what it feels like to outthink another person. Cheating destroys that for everyone, including the cheater who no longer experiences any of it authentically.

If you are finding competitive play difficult, use the Analysis Board to understand your mistakes, work through Chess Foundations courses, or post in the forums. There is a path forward that is worth taking. There is no shortcut on ChessOnes.

9. Reporting a violation

• During or after a game: use the "Report" button on the game review page
• On a user's profile: use the "Report" button on their profile
• In chat or forums: use the "Report" flag on any message
• By email: fairplay@chessones.com
• Security vulnerabilities: security@chessones.com

All reports are treated confidentially. The identity of the reporting user will not be disclosed to the subject of the report under any circumstances.

10. Contact