Trust
What we do to keep games fair and your money safe, in plain words, and the promises we make. Each item links to its rule in full.
Rules marked "In the beta" start with the invite-only beta. Rules marked "Coming later" start after the beta has begun, with our phone apps.
In the test build
This is the test build. A note like this one says where it differs from the rules.
Our promises
The fair-play guarantee
In the betaIf we close an account for cheating, every stake you lost to it is back in your balance, in full. If the cheater's money is gone, we pay.
In the test build
Not active in the test build: credits are not real money and fair-play checks are not running yet.
Payouts
In the betaDeposits out any time. Clean winnings out within 3 days. We publish our actual payout times every month.
In the test build
Deposits and withdrawals are not part of the test build.
Face data
In the betaChessPlaza keeps no face image, only pass or fail and the time. Our verification partner deletes check images within [N] days. The camera is never on during a game.
The number of days comes from our contract with our verification partner. We have not chosen the partner yet, so we fill it in before the beta.
In the test build
Face checks are switched off.
No house players
In the betaNobody who works for ChessPlaza, owns part of it, or can see fair-play data plays for money on it. No bots. No house accounts.
That includes the partners who own the company and their families, our reviewers and anyone who can see fair-play data.
The one exception is the labelled test accounts of the beta, and every stake lost to them is paid back.
In the test build
We are checking whether the computer opponent is on.
Identity and devices
Verified identity
In the betaEvery player verifies their identity before the first cash game. One account per person.
Linked accounts
In the betaAccounts that share a device or a payment method are linked, never paired and closed together.
Face checks
In the betaA selfie check at every withdrawal, for a new device, and at random between games.
Failed checks
In the betaA failed check pauses cash play until a check passes. Repeated failures open a review.
Registered devices
In the betaCash games run only on your registered devices, 2 at most.
Device changes
In the betaA new device needs a face check and pauses withdrawals. Frequent changes open a review.
Two places at once
In the betaDevices used too far apart in too short a time open a review.
Device signals
In the betaA hidden game page or a game open in two tabs adds to the evidence.
Verified rating import
In the betaA chess history you prove is yours sets your starting rating.
Matching and conduct
Automatic pairing
We pair players. Nobody can choose or challenge an opponent.
A random wait and pick
A random wait before pairing, then a random pick among the closest players.
Same-moment joins
In the betaTwo players who keep joining the queue together are reviewed.
Blind pairing
Until Black's first move, every opponent looks the same, so nobody can abort on who they are.
Free aborts, with a cooldown
An abort before the start costs nothing, but frequent aborts mean a short wait.
No re-pairing right after an abort
In the betaTwo players whose game was aborted do not meet again straight away.
Fair colours
Colours are drawn from three seeds, and anyone can check the draw.
A move-quality floor
In the betaPairing also looks at how well you actually play.
Strength jumps
In the betaPlay far above your rating opens a review.
Cross-stake comparison
In the betaMuch stronger play at higher stakes opens a review.
Stake limits
A cap during a review
In the betaWhile a review is open, stakes are capped at $5.
Cheating detection
Two evidence tracks
In the betaMoves compared with a chess engine, over all moves and on the moments that decide a game.
Think times
In the betaThink times compared with how hard each position was.
Evidence per stake
In the betaClean games at a low stake cannot hide play at a higher one.
Hold and close lines that move
In the betaEvidence first reaches a hold line, which opens a review. The close line is far higher. Both move a little for each account.
Rescans
In the betaA regular second look at your recent games, and one more before winnings leave.
Random audits
In the betaSome winners are reviewed each month, whatever their evidence.
A record of your play
Every move, its think time and the clocks are stored from the first game.
Game labels
In the betaEvery receipt shows a fair-play label for both players.
Report a game
In the betaOne tap after a game puts your opponent first in line for analysis.
Collusion and money flows
Thrown games between two accounts
In the betaMoney that keeps moving one way between two accounts, in games that look thrown, opens a review.
Partner review
In the betaWhen a player is held for throwing games, whoever received the money is reviewed too.
Loops
In the betaMoney that goes round a circle of accounts opens a review.
Pass-through accounts
In the betaAn account that passes on what it wins opens a review.
Money
One fee: the rake
5% of the pot, from the winner. Draws and aborts cost nothing.
The fair-play reserve
10% of every rake goes to paying back victims of cheating.
The ledger
Every cent is an entry chained to the one before it, checked every night.
A wait on winnings
In the betaClean winnings wait 3 days. Deposits never wait.
One number to withdraw
In the betaWallet shows what you can withdraw, never a wait length or a flag.
No withdrawals during a review
In the betaMoney stays on the platform while a review is open.
Reviews and refunds
People decide
In the betaEvidence only opens a review. Closing an account takes two reviewers who agree.
A neutral notice with a date
In the betaOne standard notice for every review, with the date we expect to finish by.
Reasons and an apology
In the betaA closed player gets the reasons. A cleared player gets an apology and rake-free games.
Victim refunds
In the betaEvery stake lost to a closed cheater comes back.
Refund order
In the betaThe cheater's money first, then the reserve, then the company.
The guarantee window
In the betaFrom 14 days before the first sign of cheating.
Rake back to the reserve
In the betaWe never earn from a closure.
Forfeits to the reserve
In the betaWhat is left of a cheater's winnings is only ever paid to players.
A message to every victim
In the betaYou are told how many games you lost and what is back in your balance.
Appeals
In the betaTwo new people look at every appeal. A reversed closure reopens the account with its balance.
Two people for account actions
In the betaEvery action our staff take on an account is logged with who and why. The weightiest need two people, and never the person the action is about.
Transparency
A receipt for every game
A public receipt for every game played to a result: stake, result, payout, rake, colour proof, rating change and moves. Usernames only.
In the test build
Receipts carry no fair-play labels, and they are not in a public log yet.
The opponent card
Before the game, only what is the same for every opponent. Then who they are.
A public game log
In the betaEvery receipt and every refund record goes into a public log that can only grow. You can prove that a game is in it, unchanged.
We sign a summary of the log every day, and publish it in two places we do not control too.
An open checker
In the betaAnyone can check the log with our open-source checker, in the browser or as a program.
Refund records
In the betaEvery refund is a public record in the log, with the date the evidence began.
A monthly report
In the betaEach month we publish the games played, holds, closures, appeals and reversals, and the refunds paid and who paid them.
It also has the median review time, our actual payout times and the balance of the fair-play reserve.
A security address
In the betaA published address and policy for telling us about a security problem.