1. Acceptance

The Service is operated by Otherchess (or the legal entity operating Otherchess) (“we,” “us,” “our”). By creating an account or participating in the Otherchess beta (the “Service”), you agree to these Beta Terms of Conduct (“Beta Terms”). If you do not agree, do not use the Service.

Note: checking the acceptance box on the Beta Terms screen and continuing counts as your signature.

2. Eligibility

• You must be at least 13 years old to participate.
• If you are under 18, a parent/guardian should review these terms with you.

3. Conduct (don’t be the reason the beta fails)

• No harassment, threats, hate, or targeted abuse.
• No spam, scams, or advertising.
• No doxxing or attempts to obtain private information about other users.
• Keep global chat usable: short, relevant, and respectful.

4. Fair play

• No bots, scripts, or automation in rated games.
• No cheating tools or unfair assistance intended to manipulate ratings.
• No sandbagging (deliberate losses to manipulate matchmaking/ratings).

5. Beta expectations

• The service may break. Games may have bugs. UI may be incomplete.
• We may change rules, boards, and rating behavior during beta.
• We may suspend or terminate accounts for violations or for protecting the beta.

6. Security & bug reporting

• Do not exploit vulnerabilities to harm the service or other users.
• If you find a bug or exploit, report it privately to the team (email) rather than publicizing it.

7. Tournaments and prizes (beta)

• During beta, tournaments (if any) are informal.
• Any prizes during beta are discretionary gifts, not enforceable obligations.
• Future tournaments will publish separate event rules and prize terms.

8. Intellectual property

Our IP. The Otherchess name, logo, game rules (including the omnidirectional pawn mechanic and expansion chess variants), software, board designs created by us, and all associated materials are owned by Otherchess (or the legal entity operating it) and protected by intellectual property law. You may not copy, redistribute, or create derivative works without our written permission.

User-created boards and content. You may create and share custom boards and game configurations (“User Content”) through the Service.

• Ownership. By creating or submitting User Content (including custom board layouts, patterns, and configurations), you assign to Otherchess all right, title, and interest in and to that User Content, including all copyrights and other intellectual property rights. User Content is the intellectual property of Otherchess.
• Attribution. We will use reasonable efforts to attribute board designs to their creators when we display or publish them (e.g. in the board browser or in promotional materials). Attribution is a courtesy and does not grant you any rights in the User Content.
• Representations. You represent that you have the right to assign the User Content and that it does not infringe any third-party rights. You may not submit content you do not have the right to assign.
• We may remove or modify User Content at any time at our discretion. Our ownership of User Content survives removal from the Service.

Game rules and abstract board configurations may have limited copyright protection in some jurisdictions. This section assigns to Otherchess whatever rights you have in the specific expression and data you submit (layouts, names, descriptions, and any creative elements).

9. Disclaimers

The service is provided “as is” and “as available” without warranties of any kind, either express or implied, including but not limited to warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, or non-infringement. We do not warrant that the service will be uninterrupted, error-free, or that data (including game records or ratings) will be preserved. You use the service at your own risk.

10. Limitation of liability

To the maximum extent permitted by applicable law, we are not liable for any indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages (including loss of data, profits, or goodwill) arising from or related to your use of the service, even if advised of the possibility of such damages. Our total liability to you shall not exceed the greater of (a) one hundred united states dollars ($100 usd) or (b) the amount you paid us, if any, in the twelve (12) months preceding the claim.

11. Indemnification

You agree to indemnify and hold harmless Otherchess and its operators, affiliates, officers, and employees from any claims, damages, losses, or expenses (including reasonable attorneys’ fees) arising from your use of the Service, your User Content, your conduct, or your violation of these Beta Terms.

12. Termination

We may suspend or terminate your access at any time, for any reason, with or without notice. Upon termination, your right to use the Service ends immediately. Sections 9 (Disclaimers), 10 (Limitation of liability), 11 (Indemnification), 13 (Governing law; contact), and this sentence will survive termination.

13. Governing law; contact

These Beta Terms are governed by the laws of the United States and the State of Delaware, without regard to conflict of law principles. For questions or disputes, contact us at support@otherchess.com. You agree to try to resolve any dispute informally with us before pursuing formal legal action.

14. Changes to these terms

We may modify these Beta Terms at any time. We will provide notice of material changes via the Service or by email where practicable. Continued use of the Service after changes constitutes your acceptance of the updated terms.

Use of the Service is also governed by our Privacy Policy. © Otherchess. Beta terms subject to change during testing.