Terms & Conditions

1. About nearChess

nearChess is an online platform operated by Catalun Sports Private Limited (CIN: U93190DL2025PTC457172), a company incorporated under the Companies Act, 2013, with its registered office at 311, 3rd Floor, Naurang House 21, KG Marg, Connaught Place, New Delhi — 110001, Delhi, India.

The platform enables chess players in India to discover, register for, and participate in offline chess tournaments organised by third-party organisers. nearChess does not organise tournaments itself; it provides technology infrastructure and payment facilitation services.

2. Acceptance of Terms

By accessing nearchess.com or using the nearChess mobile applications, you agree to be bound by these Terms & Conditions and our Privacy Policy and Refund Policy. If you do not agree, please discontinue use of the platform.

3. Platform Role & Facilitator Model

nearChess operates as an intermediary and payment facilitator under the Information Technology Act, 2000 (as amended) and applicable RBI payment guidelines. Specifically:

• Tournament listing and registration logistics are managed by nearChess on behalf of the organiser.
• Entry fees collected through the platform are held and remitted to the tournament organiser, minus nearChess's facilitation fee.
• nearChess issues a payment receipt to the player for its facilitation/convenience fee and applicable Goods & Services Tax (GST).
• The tournament organiser is solely responsible for issuing tax invoices / GST invoices for the tournament entry fee portion.
• nearChess is not a party to the contract between the player and the organiser for participation in the tournament.

4. Regulatory Compliance & Payment Transparency

In accordance with Reserve Bank of India (RBI) guidelines and Payment Aggregator / Payment Gateway regulations:

• The organiser's verified name, KYC status, and organisation details are displayed prominently on every tournament listing page.
• The order-confirmation receipt sent to players clearly identifies the organiser as the merchant/beneficiary of the entry fee.
• Players can verify the organiser's identity and compliance level (Standard / Trust Verified) before completing payment.
• All payment processing is handled through Razorpay, a licensed Payment Aggregator under RBI.

5. Eligibility & Account

• You must be at least 13 years old to use nearChess. Registrations for players under 18 should be completed by a parent or legal guardian.
• You agree to provide accurate, complete, and current information during registration.
• You are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of your account credentials.

6. Tournament Registration

• Completing payment through the platform constitutes a confirmed registration subject to the organiser's capacity and rules.
• All player-provided information (name, FIDE ID, rating category, etc.) must be accurate. The organiser may verify this at the venue and may refuse participation or adjust the fee category if discrepancies are found.
• nearChess reserves the right to cancel registrations found to contain fraudulent or materially false information.

7. Player Responsibilities

• Arrive at the tournament venue on time with a valid photo ID and your confirmation code.
• Abide by the tournament rules, FIDE Laws of Chess, AICF regulations, and the organiser's code of conduct.
• Behave respectfully toward other players, organisers, and arbiters.
• Notify the organiser in advance if you cannot attend so seats can be reallocated.

8. Organiser Responsibilities

Tournament organisers who list events on nearChess independently agree to a separate organiser agreement and are responsible for:

• Accuracy of all tournament details (venue, dates, rounds, fees, prizes).
• Conducting the tournament in compliance with AICF / FIDE regulations.
• Issuing invoices, receipts, and GST invoices to players for entry fees.
• Notifying nearChess promptly of any cancellation so refunds can be processed.
• Prize distribution and post-event reporting to rating bodies.

9. Cancellations & Refunds

Please refer to our Refund Policy for complete details. In summary:

• Cancellations within 48 hours of registration: 100% refund, no questions asked.
• Cancellations beyond 48 hours: players should contact the organiser directly.
• If the organiser cancels the entire tournament: all confirmed registrations receive a full refund.

10. Prohibited Conduct

• Using the platform for any unlawful purpose or in violation of any applicable law.
• Providing false rating information or misrepresenting eligibility for a fee category.
• Attempting to manipulate, disrupt, or reverse-engineer the platform.
• Spamming, harassing, or impersonating other users or organisers.

11. Intellectual Property

All content, logos, design, and software on the nearChess platform are the intellectual property of Catalun Sports Private Limited or its licensors. You may not copy, reproduce, or distribute any content without written permission.

12. Limitation of Liability

nearChess and Catalun Sports Private Limited shall not be liable for:

• Tournament cancellations, postponements, or changes made by the organiser.
• Any injury, loss, or damage sustained at a tournament venue.
• Disputes between players and organisers regarding prizes, pairings, or conduct.
• Indirect, incidental, or consequential damages of any nature.

Our maximum liability to any user for any claim shall not exceed the amount actually paid by that user to nearChess as facilitation/convenience fees for the transaction in question.

13. Governing Law & Dispute Resolution

These Terms are governed by the laws of India. Any disputes shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts at New Delhi, India. We encourage users to first reach out to us at hi@nearchess.com to resolve disputes amicably.

14. Amendments

We may update these Terms from time to time. Material changes will be notified via the platform or email. Continued use after changes constitutes acceptance of the revised Terms.

15. Contact Us