Privacy Notice

RealmChess is the data controller for the personal data described in this notice. That means we decide how and why your data is processed.

• Account data: your name, email address, login credentials and date of birth.
• Gameplay data: your games, moves, ratings, puzzle results and study progress.
• Messages: in-game chat and direct messages you send.
• Support messages: anything you send us when asking for help, including player reports.
• Usage and device data: IP address, device identifiers and basic telemetry about how you use the site.

Payment details (card numbers etc.) are collected and processed by Stripe, our payment provider — we never see or store your full card details.

• To create and manage your account (legal basis: performance of our contract with you).
• To provide the service: matchmaking, ratings, puzzles, analysis and messaging (contract).
• To keep players safe — including age-appropriate messaging restrictions and anti-cheating moderation (legitimate interests, and legal obligation where child-safety law applies).
• To improve the product and fix problems (legitimate interests).
• To provide customer support (contract / legitimate interests).
• To send service emails such as sign-up confirmation and receipts (contract / legal obligation). Marketing emails are only sent with your consent.

• Service providers who host and run the platform (cloud hosting, database, analytics and support tooling), under contracts that protect your data.
• Stripe, our payment provider, for memberships, subscription management, payments, tax compliance and invoicing.
• Professional advisers (legal, accounting) where needed.
• Authorities where required by law.

We do not sell your personal data.

Some of our service providers process data outside the UK/EEA. Where that happens, we rely on appropriate safeguards such as adequacy decisions or standard contractual clauses.

We keep your data for as long as your account is active. Games older than 9 months may be deleted unless you've marked them as favourites; your lifetime game count and rating history are kept. When data is no longer needed it is deleted or anonymised.

Under UK GDPR you have the right to access, correct or delete your personal data, to restrict or object to processing, to data portability, and to withdraw consent where processing is based on consent. You can also complain to the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO). We respond to requests within one month. To exercise any right, contact us through the site.

Players under 18 can play everyone, but private and in-game messaging is disabled on their accounts. We ask for a date of birth at sign-up solely to apply these protections; it is never shown to other players.

We use appropriate technical and organisational measures — including encryption in transit and strict access controls — to protect your data.

We use essential cookies to keep you signed in and run the site. We do not use marketing cookies. You can control cookies through your browser settings; blocking essential cookies will prevent sign-in.

We may update this notice from time to time. Material changes will be flagged on the site.