Legal

Privacy Policy

Last Updated: February 22, 2026

Big Chess BG Ltd ("Big Chess," "we," "us," or "our") operates the BigChess platform, which includes the BigChess mobile applications for iOS and Android, the web-based game at bigchess10.com, premium physical chess sets, and support for additional chess game variants within our applications (collectively, the "Services"). This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, store, and protect your personal information when you access or use any of our Services.

By downloading, installing, accessing, or using any of our Services, you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agree to be bound by this Privacy Policy. If you do not agree with the practices described herein, please do not use our Services.

1. Information We Collect

We collect information in several ways depending on how you interact with our Services. The types of information we collect fall into the following categories:

1.1. Information You Provide Directly

When you create an account, make a purchase, or otherwise interact with our Services, you may provide us with:

Account Registration Data: Your email address, username, display name, and password. You may also register or log in through third-party authentication providers such as Google or Apple, in which case we receive basic profile information from those providers (such as your name and email address).
Profile Information: Any additional information you choose to add to your player profile, including a profile picture, biography, country, or preferred language.
Purchase Information: When you purchase premium physical chess sets or make in-app purchases, we collect billing and shipping details such as your full name, postal address, phone number, and payment method information. Payment processing is handled by third-party payment processors (such as Apple App Store, Google Play Store, or Stripe), and we do not store your full credit card number or financial account details on our servers.
Communications: If you contact us via email at info@bigchess10.com, through in-app support, or through any other communication channel, we collect the content of your messages, your email address, and any other information you choose to provide.
User-Generated Content: Chat messages sent during games, friend requests, and any other content you create or share within the Services.

1.2. Information Collected Automatically

When you use our Services, certain information is collected automatically through technological means:

Device Information: We collect information about the device you use to access our Services, including the device type, model, manufacturer, operating system and version, unique device identifiers (such as IDFA on iOS or Advertising ID on Android), screen resolution, and device language settings.
Log and Usage Data: We automatically collect information about your interactions with the Services, including pages or screens viewed, features used, time spent in the application, session duration, crash reports, referral URLs, the date and time of your visits, and other diagnostic data.
Game Data: We collect detailed information about your gameplay, including match history, game moves, game outcomes (wins, losses, draws), ELO ratings, puzzle completion records, time controls used, game variants played, and other in-game statistics.
Network Information: Your Internet Protocol (IP) address, Internet Service Provider (ISP), browser type and version (for web users), and general geographic location derived from your IP address.
Cookies and Similar Technologies: When you use the web version of BigChess at bigchess10.com, we and our third-party partners may use cookies, web beacons, pixel tags, local storage, and similar tracking technologies to collect information about your browsing behavior, remember your preferences, and deliver personalized content. You can manage your cookie preferences through your browser settings, though disabling certain cookies may affect the functionality of the Services.

1.3. Information from Third-Party Sources

We may receive information about you from third-party sources, including:

Authentication Providers: When you sign in using Firebase Authentication, Google Sign-In, Apple Sign-In, or other third-party authentication services, we receive your basic account information from those providers as permitted by your privacy settings with them.
App Stores: Apple App Store and Google Play Store may provide us with aggregated analytics data and purchase confirmation information related to your transactions.
Analytics Providers: Third-party analytics services may provide us with aggregated or de-identified information about how users interact with our Services.
Social Media Platforms: If you interact with our presence on social media platforms, we may receive information about those interactions in accordance with the privacy settings of those platforms.

2. How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect for various purposes, all of which are designed to provide, maintain, improve, and protect our Services and to communicate with you. Specifically, we use your information to:

2.1. Provide and Operate the Services

Create, maintain, and secure your BigChess account.
Enable you to play chess matches online against other players in real time across all supported platforms (iOS, Android, and web).
Process matchmaking requests and pair you with opponents of similar skill levels based on your ELO rating.
Calculate, update, and display your ELO rating and ranking on leaderboards.
Store your complete game history, including moves, outcomes, and replay data, so that you may review past games.
Generate PGN (Portable Game Notation) files for your games to allow export and sharing.
Deliver chess puzzles appropriate to your skill level and track your puzzle-solving progress.
Support multiple chess game variants within the application, including the core BigChess 10x10 variant and additional supported formats.
Enable social features such as friend lists, friend requests, spectating other players' games, and in-game chat.
Process orders for premium physical BigChess chess sets, including order fulfillment, shipping, and delivery.

2.2. Improve and Develop Our Services

Analyze usage patterns, trends, and player behavior to understand how our Services are used and to identify areas for improvement.
Conduct internal research and development to build new features, game modes, and functionalities.
Perform A/B testing and experiments to optimize user experience across all platforms.
Monitor and analyze the performance, stability, and reliability of our servers and infrastructure.
Debug and fix technical issues, crashes, and bugs reported by users or detected automatically.

2.3. Communicate with You

Send you transactional communications, such as account verification emails, password reset confirmations, purchase receipts, and shipping notifications for physical products.
Notify you about important changes to our Services, including updates to this Privacy Policy, our Terms of Use, or other legal agreements.
Send you optional promotional communications about new features, events, tournaments, promotions, or products, where you have given your consent or where permitted by applicable law. You can opt out of promotional communications at any time.
Respond to your inquiries, support requests, and feedback.

2.4. Ensure Safety, Security, and Fair Play

Detect, prevent, and address cheating, fraud, abuse, and other violations of our Terms of Use.
Monitor gameplay patterns to identify the use of unauthorized software, bots, or computer-assisted play.
Prevent the creation of multiple accounts for the purpose of rating manipulation or other unfair advantages.
Protect the rights, property, and safety of Big Chess BG Ltd, our users, and the general public.
Enforce our Terms of Use, Community Guidelines, and other applicable policies.
Comply with applicable laws, legal processes, and governmental requests.

2.5. Legal Compliance and Protection

Comply with applicable legal obligations, including tax, accounting, and regulatory requirements.
Establish, exercise, or defend legal claims.
Respond to lawful requests from public authorities, including law enforcement and national security agencies.

3. Legal Bases for Processing (EEA, UK, and Similar Jurisdictions)

If you are located in the European Economic Area (EEA), the United Kingdom (UK), or another jurisdiction that requires a legal basis for processing personal data, we rely on the following legal grounds:

Performance of a Contract: Processing is necessary to provide the Services you have requested, including account creation, gameplay, matchmaking, rating calculations, and order fulfillment for physical products.
Legitimate Interests: Processing is necessary for our legitimate interests, including improving our Services, ensuring security and fair play, preventing fraud and abuse, conducting analytics, and marketing our products and services, provided that such interests are not overridden by your fundamental rights and freedoms.
Consent: Where required by law, we process your personal data based on your freely given, specific, informed, and unambiguous consent. You have the right to withdraw your consent at any time without affecting the lawfulness of processing carried out before withdrawal.
Legal Obligation: Processing is necessary for compliance with a legal obligation to which we are subject, such as tax reporting, consumer protection requirements, or responding to valid legal process.

4. How We Share Your Information

We do not sell your personal information to third parties. We may share your information in the following circumstances:

4.1. With Other Players

Certain information is visible to other BigChess players as part of the core functionality of the Services. This includes your username, display name, profile picture, ELO rating, ranking position on leaderboards, game history (moves and outcomes of completed matches), and online status. If you participate in in-game chat, your messages are visible to the other participants in that game or chat.

4.2. With Service Providers

We engage trusted third-party companies and individuals to perform services on our behalf, including:

Cloud Hosting and Infrastructure: Our servers and databases are hosted by third-party cloud infrastructure providers who store and process data on our behalf.
Authentication Services: We use Firebase Authentication (operated by Google) to manage user accounts and authentication.
Payment Processing: Payments for premium chess sets and in-app purchases are processed by third-party payment processors, including Apple (for App Store purchases), Google (for Play Store purchases), and other payment service providers. These processors handle your payment information in accordance with their own privacy policies and the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS).
Analytics and Performance Monitoring: We use third-party analytics tools to help us understand how users interact with our Services, measure performance, and identify technical issues.
Email and Communication Services: We use third-party providers to send transactional and, where applicable, promotional emails.
Shipping and Logistics: For physical product orders (premium chess sets), we share your shipping address and contact information with logistics and delivery partners.

Our service providers are contractually obligated to use your personal information only for the purposes of providing services to us and are required to implement appropriate security measures to protect your data.

4.3. For Legal Reasons

We may disclose your information if required to do so by law, or if we believe in good faith that such disclosure is necessary to:

Comply with a legal obligation, court order, subpoena, or other legal process.
Protect and defend our rights, property, or the safety of Big Chess BG Ltd, our users, or the public.
Investigate or prevent suspected fraud, cheating, or illegal activity.
Enforce our Terms of Use and other agreements.

4.4. Business Transfers

In the event that Big Chess BG Ltd undergoes a merger, acquisition, reorganization, bankruptcy, or sale of all or a portion of its assets, your personal information may be transferred as part of that transaction. We will notify you via a prominent notice within the Services or by email prior to your personal information becoming subject to a different privacy policy.

4.5. With Your Consent

We may share your information in other circumstances with your explicit consent or at your direction.

5. Data Retention

We retain your personal information for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes for which it was collected and to comply with our legal obligations. The specific retention periods depend on the type of data and the purpose of processing:

Account Information: We retain your account data for as long as your account remains active. If you request account deletion, we will delete or anonymize your personal information within 30 days of your request, except where we are required to retain it for legal, tax, or regulatory purposes.
Game Data: Your game history, match records, ELO rating history, and puzzle completion data are retained for as long as your account is active and for a reasonable period thereafter to allow for rating recalculations and to maintain the integrity of leaderboards and historical records.
Transaction Data: Records of purchases of premium chess sets and in-app transactions are retained for the period necessary to fulfill orders, process returns or refunds, and comply with applicable tax and accounting regulations (typically 5 to 7 years).
Communication Records: Correspondence with our support team is retained for a reasonable period to provide ongoing support and to improve our customer service processes.
Log and Analytics Data: Automatically collected technical and usage data is typically retained in identifiable form for up to 24 months and may be retained in aggregated or de-identified form for longer periods for statistical and analytical purposes.
Anti-Cheat and Security Data: Data collected for the purposes of fraud prevention, cheat detection, and security enforcement may be retained for an extended period as necessary to protect the integrity of our Services.

When personal information is no longer needed for its original purpose and we have no legal basis to retain it, we will either securely delete or irreversibly anonymize the data.

6. Data Security

We take the security of your personal information seriously and implement a comprehensive set of technical and organizational measures designed to protect your data against unauthorized access, alteration, disclosure, destruction, or loss. These measures include, but are not limited to:

Encryption: Data transmitted between your device and our servers is encrypted using TLS (Transport Layer Security) / SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) protocols. Sensitive data stored on our servers is encrypted at rest.
Access Controls: Access to personal information is restricted to authorized personnel who need it to perform their job functions. We employ role-based access controls and the principle of least privilege.
Infrastructure Security: Our servers are hosted in secure data centers with physical access controls, environmental protections, and network security measures including firewalls, intrusion detection systems, and regular vulnerability scanning.
Authentication Security: User authentication is managed through Firebase Authentication, which implements industry-standard security practices including secure password hashing and support for multi-factor authentication.
Regular Security Reviews: We conduct periodic reviews of our security practices, infrastructure, and data processing activities to identify and address potential vulnerabilities.
Incident Response: We maintain an incident response plan to promptly detect, investigate, and respond to security incidents. In the event of a data breach that poses a risk to your rights and freedoms, we will notify you and the relevant supervisory authorities as required by applicable law.

While we strive to protect your personal information, no method of transmission over the Internet or method of electronic storage is completely secure. We cannot guarantee the absolute security of your data, and any transmission of personal information is at your own risk.

7. International Data Transfers

Big Chess BG Ltd operates globally, and your personal information may be transferred to and processed in countries other than the country in which you reside. These countries may have data protection laws that differ from the laws of your country.

When we transfer personal data from the EEA, UK, or Switzerland to countries that have not been deemed to provide an adequate level of data protection, we implement appropriate safeguards to ensure that your personal data remains protected. These safeguards may include:

Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs) approved by the European Commission.
The UK International Data Transfer Agreement or Addendum, as applicable.
Binding Corporate Rules, where applicable.
Other legally recognized transfer mechanisms.

You may request more information about the specific safeguards we apply to international transfers of your personal data by contacting us at info@bigchess10.com.

8. Your Rights and Choices

Depending on your location and applicable laws, you may have certain rights regarding your personal information. We are committed to helping you exercise these rights.

8.1. General Rights

Regardless of your location, you have the following options:

Account Deletion: You may request the deletion of your BigChess account and associated personal data by contacting us at info@bigchess10.com or through the account settings within the application.
Communication Preferences: You may opt out of promotional emails by clicking the "unsubscribe" link at the bottom of any promotional email or by adjusting your notification preferences in the application settings. Please note that you may still receive transactional or service-related communications.
Push Notifications: You can manage push notification preferences through your device settings on iOS and Android.
Cookie Management: You can control cookies through your browser settings when using the web version of BigChess. Please note that disabling cookies may affect the functionality of the website.

8.2. Rights for EEA and UK Residents

If you are located in the European Economic Area or the United Kingdom, you have the following additional rights under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the UK GDPR:

Right of Access: You have the right to request a copy of the personal data we hold about you.
Right to Rectification: You have the right to request that we correct any inaccurate or incomplete personal data.
Right to Erasure: You have the right to request that we delete your personal data, subject to certain legal exceptions.
Right to Restriction of Processing: You have the right to request that we restrict the processing of your personal data in certain circumstances.
Right to Data Portability: You have the right to receive your personal data in a structured, commonly used, and machine-readable format and to transmit it to another controller.
Right to Object: You have the right to object to the processing of your personal data based on legitimate interests, including profiling, and to object to the processing of your data for direct marketing purposes.
Right to Withdraw Consent: Where processing is based on consent, you have the right to withdraw your consent at any time.
Right to Lodge a Complaint: You have the right to lodge a complaint with a supervisory authority in your country of residence if you believe that our processing of your personal data violates applicable data protection laws.

8.3. Rights for California Residents (CCPA/CPRA)

If you are a California resident, you have the following rights under the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) as amended by the California Privacy Rights Act (CPRA):

Right to Know: You have the right to request that we disclose the categories and specific pieces of personal information we have collected about you, the categories of sources from which the information was collected, the business or commercial purposes for collecting the information, and the categories of third parties with whom we share the information.
Right to Delete: You have the right to request that we delete personal information we have collected from you, subject to certain exceptions.
Right to Correct: You have the right to request correction of inaccurate personal information.
Right to Opt-Out of Sale/Sharing: We do not sell your personal information and do not share it for cross-context behavioral advertising purposes. If this practice changes in the future, we will provide you with a clear opt-out mechanism.
Right to Non-Discrimination: We will not discriminate against you for exercising your privacy rights.

8.4. Rights for Residents of Other Jurisdictions

If you reside in Brazil (LGPD), Canada (PIPEDA), Australia (Privacy Act 1988), Japan (APPI), South Korea (PIPA), or other jurisdictions with applicable data protection laws, you may have similar rights regarding your personal data. Please contact us at info@bigchess10.com to exercise your rights, and we will respond in accordance with the applicable legal requirements.

8.5. Exercising Your Rights

To exercise any of the above rights, please contact us at info@bigchess10.com. We will verify your identity before processing your request and will respond within the timeframes required by applicable law (generally within 30 days for GDPR requests and 45 days for CCPA requests). If we need additional time, we will inform you of the reason and the extended timeframe. You will not be charged a fee for exercising your rights, unless the request is manifestly unfounded or excessive.

9. Children's Privacy

BigChess is not directed at children under the age of 13 (or the applicable minimum age in your jurisdiction, such as 16 in certain EEA member states). We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under these age thresholds.

If we become aware that we have inadvertently collected personal information from a child under the applicable minimum age without verified parental consent, we will take immediate steps to delete that information from our servers.

If you are a parent or guardian and believe that your child has provided us with personal information without your consent, please contact us immediately at info@bigchess10.com, and we will take appropriate action to remove the information.

For users between the ages of 13 and 18 (or the age of majority in their jurisdiction), we recommend that parents and guardians monitor their children's use of our Services and help them understand this Privacy Policy.

10. Third-Party Services and Links

Our Services may contain links to third-party websites, services, or applications that are not operated by Big Chess BG Ltd. This Privacy Policy does not apply to those third-party services, and we are not responsible for their privacy practices. We encourage you to review the privacy policies of any third-party services you access.

Key third-party services integrated with or used by BigChess include:

Firebase (Google): Used for user authentication and certain backend services. Google's Privacy Policy applies to data processed by Firebase: https://policies.google.com/privacy
Apple App Store: Used for distributing the iOS application and processing in-app purchases. Apple's Privacy Policy applies: https://www.apple.com/privacy/
Google Play Store: Used for distributing the Android application and processing in-app purchases. Google's Privacy Policy applies: https://policies.google.com/privacy

11. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

When you use the web version of BigChess at bigchess10.com, we use the following types of cookies and similar technologies:

11.1. Strictly Necessary Cookies

These cookies are essential for the operation of the website and the game. They enable core functionality such as user authentication, session management, and security features. These cookies cannot be disabled without affecting the functionality of the Services.

11.2. Performance and Analytics Cookies

These cookies collect information about how visitors use the website, such as which pages are visited most often, how users navigate between pages, and whether users encounter error messages. The information collected by these cookies is aggregated and used to improve the performance of the website.

11.3. Functional Cookies

These cookies allow the website to remember choices you have made (such as your preferred language, region, or game settings) and provide enhanced, personalized features.

11.4. Managing Cookies

Most web browsers allow you to control cookies through their settings. You can typically set your browser to block or delete cookies, or to alert you when a cookie is being set. Please note that if you block or delete cookies, some features of the website may not function properly.

For our mobile applications on iOS and Android, tracking and advertising preferences can be managed through your device's operating system settings.

12. Push Notifications and In-App Communications

With your consent, we may send push notifications to your mobile device to inform you about game events (such as when it is your turn to move, when a friend comes online, or when a match is found), new features, promotions, or other important information.

You can manage your push notification preferences at any time through:

iOS: Settings > Notifications > BigChess
Android: Settings > Apps > BigChess > Notifications
In-App Settings: Within the BigChess application notification preferences

Please note that even if you disable push notifications, you may still receive in-app notifications when you are actively using the Services.

13. Data Related to Premium Physical Chess Sets

When you purchase a premium BigChess physical chess set through our website or applications, we collect additional information necessary to fulfill your order. This includes:

Your full name and shipping address for delivery purposes.
Your billing address and payment information, which is processed by our third-party payment processors.
Your phone number and email address for order confirmations, shipping updates, and customer service communications.
Order history and product preferences to provide personalized recommendations and improve our product offerings.

We retain order and transaction records for the period necessary to comply with applicable tax, accounting, and consumer protection laws. Your payment card details are processed and stored exclusively by our PCI DSS-compliant payment processors and are never stored on our own servers.

14. Game Variants and Additional Services

BigChess supports multiple chess game variants within our mobile applications and web platform in addition to the core BigChess 10x10 chess format. When you play any game variant, we collect the same types of game data described in this Privacy Policy, including match history, moves, outcomes, and performance statistics. Each game variant may have its own rating and leaderboard system, and your data within each variant is processed in accordance with this Privacy Policy.

15. Automated Decision-Making

We use automated systems for certain aspects of our Services, including:

Matchmaking: Our matchmaking system automatically pairs players based on ELO ratings, availability, preferred time controls, and other parameters to ensure balanced and enjoyable games.
Anti-Cheat Detection: We employ automated systems to analyze gameplay patterns and detect potential cheating or the use of unauthorized computer assistance. If our automated systems flag suspicious activity, the case may be reviewed by a human moderator before any action is taken against your account.
Puzzle Difficulty Calibration: Our puzzle system automatically selects puzzles appropriate to your skill level based on your past performance.

If you believe that an automated decision has adversely affected you, you may contact us at info@bigchess10.com to request a human review of the decision.

16. Social Features and Public Information

BigChess includes social features that allow you to interact with other players. Please be aware that certain information is publicly visible to other users:

Your username, display name, and profile picture are visible to all BigChess users.
Your ELO rating and ranking on public leaderboards are visible to all users.
Your completed game history, including moves and outcomes, may be viewable by other users through the game replay feature.
Your online status may be visible to your friends or all users, depending on your privacy settings.
Messages sent in game chat are visible to other participants in that game, as well as to spectators.

We encourage you to be mindful of the information you share through social features and to review your in-app privacy settings to control the visibility of your profile and activity.

17. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, technologies, legal requirements, or for other operational reasons. When we make material changes to this Privacy Policy, we will:

Update the "Last Updated" date at the top of this Privacy Policy.
Provide a prominent notice within the Services, such as an in-app notification or a banner on our website.
Where required by applicable law, seek your consent to the changes before they take effect.

We encourage you to review this Privacy Policy periodically to stay informed about how we are protecting your information. Your continued use of the Services after the effective date of any changes constitutes your acceptance of the updated Privacy Policy.

18. Data Protection Officer

If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding the processing of your personal data or this Privacy Policy, you may contact our data protection team:

Big Chess BG Ltd
Email: info@bigchess10.com
Website: bigchess10.com

We will endeavor to respond to all legitimate inquiries within a reasonable timeframe and no later than the period required by applicable law.

19. Supervisory Authority

If you are located in the EEA or the UK and believe that we have not adequately addressed your data protection concerns, you have the right to lodge a complaint with the data protection supervisory authority in your country of residence. A list of EEA supervisory authorities and their contact information is available at: https://edpb.europa.eu/about-edpb/about-edpb/members_en

For UK residents, you may contact the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) at: https://ico.org.uk

20. Do Not Track Signals

Some web browsers transmit "Do Not Track" (DNT) signals to websites. Because there is no universally accepted standard for how to respond to DNT signals, our website does not currently respond to DNT browser signals. However, you can manage your tracking preferences through cookie settings and device-level advertising controls as described in this Privacy Policy.

21. California "Shine the Light" Law

Under California Civil Code Section 1798.83, California residents who have an established business relationship with us have the right to request certain information regarding the disclosure of personal information to third parties for their direct marketing purposes during the preceding calendar year. We do not disclose personal information to third parties for their direct marketing purposes.

22. Nevada Privacy Rights

Nevada residents have the right to opt out of the sale of their personal information. We do not currently sell personal information as defined under Nevada law. If you are a Nevada resident and wish to submit an opt-out request, please contact us at info@bigchess10.com.

23. Contact Us

If you have any questions, comments, or concerns about this Privacy Policy or our data practices, or if you wish to exercise any of your rights described in this Privacy Policy, please contact us at:

Big Chess BG Ltd
Email: info@bigchess10.com
Website: https://bigchess10.com

We take every inquiry seriously and will respond to your request as promptly as possible.

This Privacy Policy was last updated on February 22, 2026.