Terms of Service

1. Acceptance of Terms

By accessing and using Chess Next Move (chessnextmove.ai) and our mobile applications, you accept and agree to be bound by these Terms of Service and all applicable laws and regulations. If you do not agree with any of these terms, you are prohibited from using this service.

2. Eligibility

You must be at least 13 years of age to use Chess Next Move. By using our service, you represent and warrant that you are at least 13 years old. If you are under 18, you represent that you have your parent or guardian's permission to use the service. If you are a parent or guardian allowing a minor to use the service, you agree to be bound by these Terms on behalf of that minor.

3. Description of Service

Chess Next Move provides:

• Free chess calculator and analysis tools powered by the Stockfish 18 engine (with daily limits)
• AI Move Insights and Coach commentary powered by OpenAI (see Section 9 for details)
• Bot Battles against AI opponents of varying skill levels (400–3650 ELO)
• Community puzzles created by users
• ELO Rating Test
• Chess learning resources and guides
• Pro subscription with unlimited features, Position Reader, Human Mode, Smart Tactics, and more
• Desktop App for macOS and Windows (one-time purchase)

4. User Accounts

To access certain features, you must create an account. You may register using:

• Email and password
• Sign in with Apple
• Sign in with Google

You are responsible for:

• Maintaining the confidentiality of your account credentials
• All activities that occur under your account
• Notifying us immediately of any unauthorized use

5. Subscription Plans

5.1 Available Plans

Chess Next Move offers a Pro subscription plan, available as monthly and annual subscriptions. Current pricing is displayed on our membership page and at checkout. Prices may vary by platform (web, iOS, Android) and payment method.

5.2 Auto-Renewal

IMPORTANT: All subscriptions automatically renew at the end of each billing period unless cancelled at least 24 hours before the renewal date. By subscribing, you authorize us to charge your payment method on a recurring basis until you cancel. The renewal charge will be at the same price as your original subscription unless we notify you of a price change at least 30 days in advance.

5.3 Payment Methods

We accept payments through:

• Stripe: Credit/debit cards (Visa, Mastercard, American Express)
• Apple App Store: In-app purchases on iOS devices
• Google Play Store: In-app purchases on Android devices

5.4 Cancellation

You may cancel your subscription at any time:

• Web/Stripe: Through your account settings on chessnextmove.ai
• iOS: Go to Settings > [Your Name] > Subscriptions > Chess Next Move > Cancel Subscription
• Android: Go to Google Play Store > Menu > Subscriptions > Chess Next Move > Cancel

Upon cancellation, your Premium access continues until the end of your current billing period. No partial refunds are provided for unused time.

5.5 Refunds

We offer a 14-day money-back guarantee for new subscriptions purchased directly through our website (Stripe), subject to our Refund Policy. Key conditions:

• Refunds are only available if Premium features have not been used
• Subscriptions purchased with promotional codes or discounts are not eligible for refunds (unless required by applicable law)
• One refund per customer

App Store purchases: For purchases made through the Apple App Store or Google Play Store, you must request refunds directly from Apple or Google. These platforms have their own refund windows and policies which may differ from our 14-day guarantee. Chess Next Move cannot process refunds for App Store or Google Play purchases.

5.6 No Guarantee of Results

Use of Chess Next Move, including Pro features, does not guarantee chess improvement or any specific results. Chess skill development varies by individual and depends on practice, study habits, and many other factors beyond our control.

6. Desktop App License

The Chess Next Move Desktop App is sold as a one-time purchase and is subject to the following terms:

6.1 License Grant

Upon purchase, you are granted a non-exclusive, non-transferable, lifetime license to use the Desktop App on a single machine. This license is personal to you and may not be shared, resold, or sublicensed.

6.2 Activation

The Desktop App requires a license key for activation. Your license key is linked to your Chess Next Move account and can be activated on one machine at a time. If you change devices, you may transfer your license by contacting support at [email protected].

6.3 Restrictions

You may not:

• Reverse engineer, decompile, or disassemble the Desktop App
• Modify, adapt, or create derivative works based on the Desktop App
• Share, distribute, or make the Desktop App available to third parties
• Circumvent or tamper with the license activation system
• Use the Desktop App on more than one machine simultaneously

6.4 License Revocation

We reserve the right to revoke your Desktop App license if you:

• Violate any of the restrictions listed above
• Attempt to tamper with or circumvent the license system
• Share or distribute your license key to others
• Engage in any activity that constitutes misuse of the software

Before revoking a license, we will make reasonable efforts to contact you and provide an opportunity to resolve the issue within 14 days. If your license is revoked due to a confirmed Terms of Service violation after this notice period, no refund will be issued. You may appeal a license revocation by contacting [email protected].

7. Use License

Permission is granted to use Chess Next Move for personal, non-commercial purposes. Under this license you may not:

• Modify or copy the materials except for personal use
• Use the service for any commercial purpose without authorization
• Attempt to reverse engineer any software
• Remove any copyright or proprietary notations
• Use automated systems or bots to access the service
• Share your Premium account with others

8. User Content

When you create content on Chess Next Move (such as puzzles or comments):

• You retain ownership of your content
• You grant us a non-exclusive, worldwide, royalty-free license to display, distribute, and use your content on our platform
• You are responsible for ensuring your content does not violate any laws or third-party rights
• We reserve the right to remove content that violates these terms

9. AI-Powered Features & Third-Party Technology

Chess Next Move uses the following third-party technologies:

• Stockfish 18: An open-source chess engine (licensed under GPL) that runs in your browser via WebAssembly. All Stockfish analysis is performed locally — no chess data is sent to our servers for engine analysis.
• OpenAI API: Powers our AI Coach and AI Move Insights features. When you use AI commentary, anonymous chess position data is sent to OpenAI to generate natural-language explanations. No personal information is included. See our Privacy Policy for data handling details.

AI-generated insights are automated explanations designed to help you learn. They may occasionally contain inaccuracies and do not constitute professional chess coaching advice.

10. Intended Use & Educational Purpose

Chess Next Move is designed and intended as an educational chess analysis platform. Our tools — including the calculator, Human Mode, Smart Tactics, AI Coach, and Position Reader — are built for:

• Post-game analysis and review of completed games
• Studying tactics, openings, endgames, and strategy
• Solving puzzles and training exercises
• Self-improvement and skill development
• Understanding how different play styles approach positions

Human Mode specifically provides realistic, human-like move suggestions to help players study natural play patterns rather than relying on perfect engine lines. It is an educational feature designed to improve chess understanding and intuition.

11. Third-Party Platform Compliance

Chess Next Move is an independent service. We are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or partnered with any third-party chess platform. By using Chess Next Move, you agree to:

• Comply with the terms of service, rules, and policies of any third-party chess platform you use
• Accept full responsibility for how you use Chess Next Move's tools in connection with any third-party service
• Acknowledge that Chess Next Move does not monitor, control, or have visibility into your activity on other platforms

Chess Next Move expressly disclaims all liability for any consequences, penalties, or actions taken against you by third-party platforms as a result of your use of our tools.

12. Prohibited Conduct

You agree not to:

• Use the service in violation of any third-party platform's terms of service
• Use the service for any purpose that violates applicable laws or regulations
• Harass, abuse, or harm other users
• Post offensive, illegal, or inappropriate content
• Attempt to gain unauthorized access to our systems
• Interfere with or disrupt the service
• Impersonate any person or entity
• Engage in any activity that constitutes misuse of the software

13. Account Termination

We reserve the right to suspend or terminate your account if you:

• Violate these Terms of Service
• Engage in fraudulent or illegal activity
• Abuse the service or other users
• Attempt to circumvent payment or subscription requirements

Before terminating an account, we will make reasonable efforts to notify you and provide an opportunity to resolve the issue, except in cases of clear fraud or illegal activity. You may appeal an account termination by contacting [email protected].

Upon termination, you lose access to your account and any associated data. No refunds will be provided for terminations due to confirmed violations.

14. Intellectual Property

All content, features, and functionality of Chess Next Move, including but not limited to text, graphics, logos, icons, and software, are owned by Chess Next Move or its licensors and are protected by international copyright, trademark, and other intellectual property laws. Stockfish is used under the GNU General Public License (GPL).

15. Disclaimer of Warranties

The service is provided on an "AS IS" and "AS AVAILABLE" basis without warranties of any kind, either express or implied. Chess Next Move disclaims all warranties including, without limitation, implied warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, and non-infringement. We do not warrant that the service will be uninterrupted, secure, or error-free, or that AI-generated insights will be accurate or complete.

16. Limitations of Liability

To the maximum extent permitted by law, Chess Next Move shall not be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages, including but not limited to loss of profits, data, or goodwill, arising out of or in connection with your use of the service. Our total liability shall not exceed the amount you paid for the service in the 12 months preceding the claim, or $100, whichever is greater.

For purchases made through the Apple App Store or Google Play Store, this limitation of liability applies to the extent permitted by the applicable platform's terms. Any disputes related to App Store or Google Play purchases may be subject to Apple's or Google's dispute resolution processes.

17. Indemnification

You agree to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless Chess Next Move and its officers, directors, employees, and agents from any claims, damages, losses, liabilities, and expenses (including reasonable attorneys' fees) arising out of or related to your use of the service, your violation of these Terms, or your violation of any rights of a third party.

18. Apple App Store Terms

If you downloaded our app from the Apple App Store, the following additional terms apply:

• These Terms are between you and Chess Next Move only, not with Apple Inc. ("Apple")
• Apple has no obligation to provide any maintenance or support services for the app
• Apple is not responsible for addressing any claims by you or any third party relating to the app
• Apple is not responsible for the investigation, defense, settlement, or discharge of any intellectual property infringement claim
• Apple and its subsidiaries are third-party beneficiaries of these Terms, and upon your acceptance, Apple will have the right to enforce these Terms against you as a third-party beneficiary

19. Google Play Store Terms

If you downloaded our app from the Google Play Store, the following additional terms apply:

• These Terms are between you and Chess Next Move only, not with Google LLC ("Google")
• Google has no obligation to provide any maintenance or support services for the app
• Google is not responsible for addressing any claims by you or any third party relating to the app
• You acknowledge that Google is a third-party beneficiary of these Terms and may enforce them

20. Dispute Resolution

Any dispute arising out of or relating to these Terms or the service shall be resolved through binding arbitration in accordance with the rules of the American Arbitration Association. The arbitration shall be conducted in English. You agree to waive any right to a jury trial or to participate in a class action. Notwithstanding the foregoing, either party may seek injunctive relief in any court of competent jurisdiction.

This arbitration agreement does not apply where prohibited by law, including for EU consumers who have the right to bring claims in their local courts.

21. Governing Law

These Terms shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Delaware, United States, without regard to its conflict of law provisions. For users in the European Union, nothing in these Terms affects your rights under mandatory local consumer protection laws.

22. Modifications

We may revise these Terms of Service at any time. Changes will be effective immediately upon posting. We will notify users of material changes via email or in-app notification at least 30 days before they take effect. Your continued use of the service after changes constitutes acceptance of the new terms. If you do not agree to the modified terms, you must stop using the service.

23. Severability

If any provision of these Terms is held to be invalid, illegal, or unenforceable, the remaining provisions shall continue in full force and effect. The invalid or unenforceable provision shall be modified to the minimum extent necessary to make it valid and enforceable while preserving the original intent.

24. Entire Agreement

These Terms, together with our Privacy Policy, Refund Policy, and Cookie Policy, constitute the entire agreement between you and Chess Next Move regarding the use of our service and supersede any prior agreements.

25. Contact Us

If you have any questions about these Terms of Service, please contact us:

Email: [email protected]