Terms of Service

Effective October 1, 2026 · Version tos-2026-10-01

These terms are an agreement between you and Dark Knights Chess LLC, which operates dkchess.com. They apply when you create an account, register a player, pay for an entry, or otherwise use the platform. If you register a player who is a minor, you agree to them on the player's behalf as their parent or legal guardian.

This is the version currently in force. Every earlier version stays available at its own address.

Who we are

dkchess.com is a tournament registration, pairing and results platform operated by Dark Knights Chess LLC, a Texas limited liability company. Tournaments on the platform are run by organizers — which may be us or an independent club, school or person. You can reach us at support@dkchess.com.

Accounts and minors

You must be at least 13 years old to create an account. Players under 13 do not have accounts; a parent, legal guardian or coach creates and manages their entries. Minors cannot enter contracts, so whoever registers a minor agrees to these terms on the minor's behalf and is responsible for the minor's use of the platform.

You are responsible for keeping your sign-in secure and for the accuracy of what you enter — player names, dates of birth, ratings, US Chess IDs and section eligibility.

Taking part in events

Each event is run by its organizer and tournament directors, under the rules of US Chess or FIDE as the event states. Their decisions on pairings, results, penalties, eligibility and prizes are theirs, not ours, and disputes about them go through the event's appeal process. Ratings are issued by US Chess and FIDE, not by this platform.

Payments and refunds

Entry fees are collected by or on behalf of the event's organizer. Each organizer sets its own fees, deadlines, and refund and cancellation policy, which is shown on the event page and before you pay. Where we charge a platform fee, it is shown before you pay. Questions about a refund go first to the organizer.

Results, public display and photos

Pairings, results, standings and wall charts are published on public event pages, and rated events are submitted to the rating body. Entering an event means accepting that publication. A parent or guardian can choose to show a player's first name and last initial on public pages instead of the full name. Photos of a player are only used where the registrant gave the optional media consent.

SMS Event Alerts

SMS Event Alerts is an account-notification service from Dark Knights Chess LLC. If you opt in, we text you about the events you or your players are registered for: registration confirmations, round pairings, results, and schedule changes. The program is transactional only — we never send marketing or promotional messages.

Opting in is optional. It is never required in order to register for an event, and you can register without it.

  • Message frequency varies by event.
  • Message and data rates may apply.
  • For help, reply HELP to any message, or email us at support@dkchess.com.
  • To stop receiving messages, reply STOP to any message. You will receive one confirmation and then no further messages.
  • Carriers are not liable for delayed or undelivered messages.
  • By opting in you confirm that you own the mobile number, or that you are authorized to consent for it.
  • How we handle mobile numbers and consent data is described in the SMS section of our Privacy Policy.

Email

We email you about your registrations, payments and events. You can turn each kind of notification off, per channel and per event, in Settings. Messages you need to complete a transaction — an invoice, a receipt — are sent regardless.

Your content and acceptable use

When you post content — a review, a club page, a message, a photo — you keep ownership of it and give us a non-exclusive, royalty-free license to host and display it on the platform for as long as it is posted. Only post content you have the right to post.

Do not enter false player identities, tamper with results you are not authorized to record, harass anyone, or use the platform to contact minors outside its event features. We may remove content, and suspend or close accounts, that break these terms. Tournament directors and organizers may remove an entry under their event rules.

Organizers

Organizers who publish events on the platform also agree to the Organizer Terms. Each organizer is responsible for its own events, prizes, refunds, venue and staff, and indemnifies Dark Knights Chess LLC for them.

Disclaimers and limitation of liability

The platform is provided "as is" and "as available". We do not promise it will be uninterrupted or error-free. To the extent the law allows, we are not liable for an organizer's decisions, for a pairing or result a tournament director records, or for indirect, incidental or consequential losses, and our total liability for any claim is limited to the platform fees you paid us in the twelve months before it. Nothing in these terms limits liability that the law does not allow to be limited.

Governing law and disputes

These terms are governed by the laws of the State of Texas. If you have a problem with the platform, please write to support@dkchess.com first; most things can be fixed that way. If we cannot resolve it within 30 days, either of us may bring the dispute in the state or federal courts located in Texas, or in a small-claims court where you live if it qualifies.

Changes to these terms

We may update these terms. Each version has its own effective date and stays available at its own address. When a change is material, we ask you to accept the new version the next time you sign in.

Language

These terms are provided in English and Spanish. If the two differ, the English version controls.

Contact

Questions about these terms: support@dkchess.com.