What is ChessTV?
ChessTV is a face-to-face online chess platform. You can find a random opponent or play in a private room with live video, voice, chat, chess clocks, rematches, and game history.
ChessTV FAQ
Video chess, matchmaking, safety, and your ChessTV account.
Answers about random opponents, private rooms, live video, player safety, Connections, the Free Tier, and ChessTV Pro.
What is video chess?
Video chess means playing online chess while seeing or hearing the other player live, so the game feels closer to a face-to-face match.
Can I play chess with my camera or microphone turned off?
Yes. Room controls let you turn your camera and microphone on or off. Some interactions may feel less face-to-face without video, but normal chess controls remain available.
How does random matchmaking work?
Open Random Matchmaking and choose Find opponent. ChessTV places you in a live queue and creates a shared room when another eligible player is available. You can cancel before a match is created.
Why must I confirm that I am 18 or older?
Random video matchmaking is restricted to users who self-declare that they are 18 or older. This is a one-time age confirmation, not age verification. ChessTV stores the confirmation and timestamp but does not collect your date of birth solely for this purpose.
Does the 18+ confirmation apply to private rooms?
No. The confirmation applies specifically to random video matchmaking. It does not by itself restrict private rooms or invitation links.
Are private rooms really private?
Private rooms are limited to their assigned creator and guest. A room can be shared by invite, and room content is shown only to eligible participants.
Can either player start another game in the same room?
Yes. Either participant can propose a time control. The other player can accept it, and conflicting simultaneous proposals are handled so an unintended game is not created.
What is included in the Free Tier?
Free accounts do not expire. You can create private rooms, use Connections, and play up to five games per day. Every successfully created game counts for each participating Free Tier player, regardless of who initiated or accepted it. ChessTV Pro removes the daily limit.
When does the daily game allowance reset?
The five-game allowance resets at midnight UTC. Creating an empty room, rejecting or expiring a challenge, and cancelling matchmaking before a game is created do not consume a game.
What are Connections?
Connections help you keep track of players you may want to play again. You can send, accept, decline, or remove a connection, see relevant online status, and challenge an online connection.
How is online status determined?
A player is shown as online when their signed-in account has an active authenticated ChessTV WebSocket connection. Playing a game is not required, and multiple tabs or devices are handled independently.
Can I view another player’s profile?
Yes. Player names and avatars in rooms link to public ChessTV profiles showing the username and completed-room-game statistics. Account contact details are not displayed there.
Does ChessTV record video or audio?
ChessTV does not routinely record or store complete video or audio sessions. Live media is transmitted to provide video chess, and limited technical connection data may be processed for reliability and security.
What happens when I report a player?
Submitting a report also blocks the reported player and ends the shared interaction. When available, ChessTV may capture one still frame from the reported player’s displayed video at the moment you confirm the report. It does not capture audio or continuously record the session.
Who can see report evidence?
Report details and any attached video frame are not public. Access is restricted to authorized personnel and service providers who need it for safety, moderation, investigation, legal, or technical purposes.
What does blocking a player do?
Blocked players cannot connect, challenge, match randomly, or continue using shared rooms with each other. The other player receives only a generic message when access to a room is revoked.
How long does video continue after a game?
After a game finishes, video and audio may remain available for a five-minute grace period so players can talk or arrange another game. Both stop when that period ends, or earlier if you leave or stop media.
How can I manage or delete my personal data?
You can update supported profile details in Settings. For access, correction, deletion, restriction, objection, portability, or other privacy requests, contact support@chesstv.com. See the Privacy Policy for retention rules and legal exceptions.