Terms & Conditions

Chess Bird is an online platform dedicated to organising and managing skill-based competitive chess tournaments. The platform provides registered participants with structured tournament brackets, opponent matching, match scheduling, leaderboard tracking, and prize pool management.

This platform is operated in India and is compliant with applicable Indian laws governing skill-based gaming competitions.

By accessing the Chess Bird website, creating an account, or registering for any tournament or match, you confirm that:

• You have read, understood, and agree to be bound by these Terms & Conditions in their entirety.
• You have read and agree to our Privacy Policy and Refund & Cancellation Policy.
• You are at least 13 years of age. Players under 18 must have the explicit consent of a parent or legal guardian before registering and making any payment.
• All information you provide during registration is accurate, complete, and truthful.

If you do not agree with any part of these terms, you must not use the platform or register for any tournament.

To participate in Chess Bird tournaments, you must meet all of the following eligibility criteria:

• You must possess a valid, active, and publicly accessible account on Chess.com and/or Lichess.org as specified in the tournament announcement.
• Your chess account must not be flagged, banned, or restricted by Chess.com or Lichess for fair play violations at the time of registration.
• You must provide your correct full name, email address, phone number, and chess username during registration. Providing false information will result in immediate disqualification without refund.
• Each player may register for a specific tournament only once. Duplicate registrations are not permitted and any additional payments made in error will be refunded per our Refund Policy.
• Participation may be restricted based on rating categories, geographic regions, or other eligibility criteria as specified in individual tournament announcements.

Chess Bird charges a registration fee to participate in organised tournaments. This fee covers access to the tournament infrastructure, opponent matching, match scheduling, leaderboard management, and prize pool administration.

• All payments must be completed through our secure online payment gateway (Razorpay) before your tournament spot is confirmed.
• Registration fees are non-refundable except in the specific circumstances outlined in our Refund & Cancellation Policy.
• Tournament spots are allocated on a first-come, first-served basis upon receipt of successful payment confirmation.
• Chess Bird reserves the right to modify registration fees for future tournaments. Price changes will not affect registrations already confirmed.
• All fees are quoted and charged in Indian Rupees (INR).
• If a payment fails but the amount is debited from your account, it will be automatically refunded to your source account within 5–7 business days by your bank. Contact us if not received within 10 business days.
• Unique UTR Requirement: Each registration must be linked to a unique and valid payment UTR. If multiple registrations are submitted using the exact same UTR number, only the first verified submission will be approved. All subsequent registrations attempting to reuse the same UTR will be treated as fraudulent and immediately rejected.

Chess Bird is committed to maintaining the integrity and competitive fairness of all tournaments. All registered participants are required to adhere to the following fair play standards:

• You must play using only the chess account registered at the time of sign-up. Playing on behalf of another person is strictly prohibited.
• You must not consult any chess engine, computer assistance, database, or analytical tool during live match play.
• You must not seek or receive move suggestions from any other person (whether online or in person) during your active matches.
• You must not deliberately lose matches (sandbagging) or engage in match-fixing of any kind.
• You are expected to maintain respectful and sportsmanlike conduct toward all opponents, administrators, and other participants.
• Any form of collusion between players to manipulate tournament standings or prize distribution is strictly prohibited.

Participants are expected to comply with the fair play rules of the relevant chess platform (Chess.com or Lichess) in addition to these terms.

Chess Bird operates a zero-tolerance policy against any form of cheating. We employ multiple methods to detect and investigate suspected violations:

• All games played during our tournaments are subject to post-game analysis by our anti-cheating team using recognised chess analysis methodologies.
• We monitor game data for statistically anomalous move accuracy, engine correlation, and abnormal time usage patterns.
• Any player whose account is flagged or banned by Chess.com or Lichess for fair play violations during an active tournament period will be immediately disqualified.

Identity Verification

• Chess Bird reserves the right to require any participant to undergo a live online video verification call at any stage of the tournament.
• During such a call, you may be asked to log in to your registered chess account on camera to confirm that you are the actual account holder.
• Refusal to participate in a requested verification call will be treated as an admission of account fraud and will result in immediate disqualification and a permanent ban.

Match schedules are established and communicated by the tournament organisers. All participants are expected to strictly adhere to the following scheduling rules:

• Match schedules will be communicated via our official Telegram group and/or email. It is your responsibility to monitor these channels.
• You must be online and ready on the designated chess platform at the scheduled match time. A grace period of 10 minutes will be allowed before a walkover is awarded to the waiting player.
• If you require a schedule change, you must notify the tournament administrator through our support channels at least 24 hours before the scheduled match time. Reschedules are subject to administrator approval and opponent availability, and are not guaranteed.
• Players who repeatedly fail to appear for scheduled matches may be removed from the tournament at the administrator's discretion.
• In the event of technical difficulties (internet outage, platform downtime), you must notify the administrator immediately via WhatsApp or Telegram. The administrator will assess the situation and determine an appropriate course of action, including rescheduling if warranted.

Prizes are awarded to participants based solely on their competitive performance and skill during the tournament. Prize structures are published in the tournament announcement prior to registration.

• Prize distribution will commence only after: (a) all tournament matches are completed, (b) results have been verified by the organiser, and (c) all winning participants have passed anti-cheating review.
• Prize money is distributed via UPI, bank transfer, or another digital payment method within the timeframe specified in the tournament announcement (typically 3–7 business days after tournament conclusion).
• Winners must provide accurate payment details (UPI ID or bank account number and IFSC code) to receive their prize. Chess Bird is not responsible for non-delivery of prizes due to incorrect payment information provided by the winner.
• Prize amounts are stated in Indian Rupees (INR). Winners are responsible for any applicable taxes on prize earnings as per Indian Income Tax laws.
• Chess Bird reserves the right to withhold or cancel prize disbursement if post-event analysis reveals fair play violations or fraudulent registration.

Chess Bird, as the tournament organiser, reserves the following rights to ensure the fair and effective operation of all events:

• To modify tournament formats, schedules, prize structures, or rules at any time, with reasonable advance notice to registered participants.
• To cancel a tournament at any time prior to commencement. In the event of cancellation, all registered participants will receive a full refund of their registration fee.
• To disqualify any participant found to be in violation of these Terms & Conditions without prior notice.
• To make final and binding decisions on all disputes, scoring discrepancies, and rule interpretations. Administrator decisions are not subject to appeal unless new evidence is presented.
• To require additional identity or account verification from any participant at any stage of the tournament.
• To adjust tournament structures (e.g., merge rounds, adjust brackets) in the event of player no-shows or technical issues, to ensure fair competition for remaining participants.

Chess Bird may suspend, disqualify, or permanently ban any user from the platform for any of the following reasons:

• Confirmed use of chess engines, computer assistance, or unauthorised analysis tools during live play.
• Playing on behalf of another registered user, or allowing another person to play on your account.
• Providing false, misleading, or fraudulent registration information.
• Account flagged or banned by Chess.com or Lichess for any fair play violation.
• Engaging in abusive, threatening, or harassing behaviour toward any participant, administrator, or staff member.
• Repeated failure to appear for scheduled matches without prior notice.
• Attempting to exploit technical errors or loopholes in the platform.
• Making fraudulent payment claims or initiating unjustified payment chargebacks.
• Any other conduct deemed by the administrators to be detrimental to the integrity and spirit of the tournament.

Suspended or disqualified users forfeit their registration fee and any prize entitlements. Bans may be temporary or permanent at the discretion of the organiser.

Chess Bird provides the tournament platform on an "as is" basis and makes no warranties, express or implied, regarding uninterrupted service, guaranteed prize payments beyond what is stated in the tournament announcement, or any specific outcome of tournament participation.

• Chess Bird shall not be liable for any loss of data, earnings, or opportunity arising from platform downtime, technical errors, or third-party service disruptions.
• Chess Bird shall not be responsible for the actions of third-party platforms (Chess.com, Lichess) including match cancellations caused by those platforms.
• Chess Bird shall not be liable for any indirect, incidental, or consequential damages arising from your use of the platform or participation in tournaments.
• Chess Bird's aggregate liability to any participant shall not exceed the registration fee paid by that participant for the specific tournament in question.

These Terms & Conditions are governed by the laws of India. Any disputes shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the competent courts in India. We encourage all participants to first contact our support team to resolve any concerns before pursuing formal legal action.

For any questions about these Terms & Conditions, disputes regarding match results, or to report a violation, please contact us through any of the following channels. We aim to respond within 2 business days.