Fair play policy

Last updated 2026-10-16

Online games are between you and the other player: no engine, no helper, no second account. This page says what's forbidden, what we record to check it, and how decisions and appeals work. Our aim is to stop cheating paying off without making honest players feel watched or accused.

Not allowed during an online game

• Engines, bots, apps, browser extensions or websites that suggest or evaluate moves, including relaying moves from another device.
• Help from another person, or another person playing on your account.
• Opening books, databases or this site's own analysis board on the game in progress. Analysis unlocks when the game ends.
• Losing on purpose, agreeing results, or using several accounts to change ratings.

Looking back at your own games afterwards, with any tool you like, is fine and encouraged.

What we record

• For every move: when our server received it, how long you thought, and whether the page lost focus while it was your move.
• After the game: an engine analysis of the moves, made in the two players' browsers, which you also get as your Game Review. For rated games your browser sends it to us, and we compare it with your opponent's.

We don't record mouse movement, your clipboard, other programs or your camera.

How games are checked

• Your play is compared with honest players of the same rating and speed, over many games. One game proves nothing, and nobody is judged on a single strong game.
• Signals include accuracy, time spent against how hard the move was, and how often the page lost focus. The exact thresholds aren't published.
• A report from an opponent starts a review; it never decides one. However many reports a player gets, nothing happens unless the evidence confirms it.
• A person confirms every finding before anything public happens.

Reports

Only a player of a game can report it, within 7 days. You'll get a message if action is taken, without details, and the rating you lost to that player back. Report counts are never shown on profiles.

What happens

• While a case is under review, the player may be matched only with other players under review. Nothing is shown publicly.
• A first confirmed violation: rated online play suspended for 30 days, ratings reset, a public mark on the profile for a year, and ratings refunded to the opponents.
• A second confirmed violation: online play suspended at once, and the account closed for online play if no appeal succeeds within 30 days.

Appeals

Email jianjetzhu@gmail.com within 30 days. Every appeal is reviewed again with fresh eyes, and at the second level no closure is final before the appeal is decided.