How can I report someone who I believe is not playing fairly on ChessKid?

If you suspect a player is violating the Fair Play rules, please submit a report using the 'Contact' link found at the bottom of the ChessKid homepage.

Be sure to include the username of the player and a link to the game in question. Our Fair Play team will conduct a thorough investigation, keeping all findings confidential. If a violation is confirmed, appropriate action will be taken.

Can I talk about my suspicions in forums or chat?

No. Please do not discuss your suspicions in public areas such as forums or chat. Making public accusations may result in restrictions on your own account, regardless of the outcome of the report.

How does ChessKid detect unfair play?

Part of our analysis involves comparing human moves to computer moves and looking at the statistical significance of said moves.

Other parts of our detection methods remain confidential to protect the effectiveness of our system.

How often does ChessKid catch players who break Fair Play rules?

Our team actively investigates games every day to keep the platform safe and fun. We have full-time staff members dedicated to reviewing games and identifying potential Fair Play violations. Games from top players are regularly reviewed, and accounts found to be using outside help are closed on a daily basis.

What happens if a player is caught breaking the Fair Play rules?

If a violation is confirmed, we may suspend or permanently close the player’s account. In some cases, if a violation is detected during a live game, we may abort the game and award a win to the opponent.

For some first-time violations, we may offer the player a chance to admit what happened and apologize. If they do, we may reopen the account and reset the player’s ratings.

If I reported someone for Fair Play abuse why hasn't their account been closed?

We appreciate every report, but we only close accounts when we have solid, conclusive evidence. If the account is still active, that means our team did not find enough proof of a Fair Play violation.

You closed the account of someone I know - I'm sure they were innocent of abuse!

We understand that this can be upsetting. However, we only close accounts when we are completely confident in the findings. Our team collects detailed evidence and reviews it carefully before taking any action. No account is ever closed based only on suspicion.

Can someone appeal if their account is closed?

Yes. If your account was closed and you believe it was a mistake, you can reply to the closure notice. Our support team will help you through the appeal process.

However, we ask you to remember that ChessKid is a private company; it maintains the right to close the accounts of anyone we deem to have broken site rules, acted unfairly to other members, or behaved in a way that hurts the site experience for other members.

Further, it should be clear by all logical, reasonable accounts (as well as by all smart business practices) that we would never have any reason to close the account of a user if we were not SURE, beyond all reasonable doubt, that they had broken rules.

What does ChessKid think about Fair Play abuse?

We believe using unfair help during games is dishonest and goes against the spirit of the game. Our Fair Play policies are clear and strictly enforced. We take great care to detect and stop unfair play, and we are confident in the strength and reliability of our detection system.