Privacy Policy
Last updated 15 September 2026 · Applies to Checkmate v1.0.0 and later for Android and iOS
The short version. Your chess settings and local game record stay on your device. If you use Online mode, Checkmate uses Firebase for your chosen Apple, Google, or Guest identity and for shared game data. The app also displays non-personalized Google AdMob ads after any consent required in your region. We do not request permission to track you across other companies' apps or websites.
1. Who this is from
Checkmate is published by Mrutyunjay Studio ("we", "us"). Questions about this policy go to support@checkmate-app.com.
2. How features use data
| What you do | Account? | What leaves your device |
|---|---|---|
| Play with AI | No | Nothing. The engine runs on your phone. |
| Two Players on one phone | No | Nothing. |
| Online | Apple, Google, or Guest | User ID, display name, optional Google profile details, matchmaking state, and chess moves |
Ads are separate from Online mode. Google Mobile Ads may process device, advertising, interaction, approximate-location, crash, and performance data to deliver, measure, secure, and improve non-personalized ads.
3. What is collected
- Account information — a Firebase user ID for every Online identity. Google sign-in can provide your name, email address, and profile photo. Sign in with Apple is requested without name or email scopes. Guest mode uses a random ID and random display name.
- The game itself — the list of moves, who is playing which colour, and the result.
- Advertising and diagnostics — Google Mobile Ads may collect the device ID, advertising data, ad and app interactions, approximate location derived from signals such as IP address, crash logs, and performance data. Checkmate requests non-personalized ads only.
Checkmate does not request contacts, precise location, health, payment, or microphone data. Local settings and your local win/loss record are not uploaded by Checkmate.
4. Why, and on what legal basis
Online identity and gameplay data are processed to provide the multiplayer service you request. Advertising data is processed to fund the free app, prevent fraud, deliver contextual ads, and measure their performance. Where law requires consent, the Google consent form is shown before ads initialize.
5. Who else sees it
- Your opponent sees your display name and chess moves.
- Google Firebase stores the data on our behalf as our processor (Authentication and Realtime Database). See Firebase's privacy documentation.
- Google AdMob processes advertising and diagnostic data to serve and measure non-personalized ads. See Google's Privacy Policy.
- Apple or Google processes sign-in information if you choose its sign-in button, under that provider's privacy terms.
We do not sell personal data. We do not ask Apple for permission to use the IDFA, and Checkmate configures its ad requests as non-personalized.
6. What the app stores on your device
Your settings and your win/loss record are saved locally and never uploaded. Deleting the app removes them. You can clear the record any time with Settings → Reset statistics.
7. How long we keep it
- Your Online profile — until you tap Delete account.
- Online match records — until you tap Delete account; private rooms are removed and your seat in shared games is anonymised.
8. Deleting your data
Tap Delete account in Settings > Account (or on the Online screen). The app removes your Firebase Authentication identity and private rooms, and replaces your ID and guest name with “Deleted Player” in games shared with an opponent. You may also follow the deletion instructions or email support@checkmate-app.com for help. We action requests within 30 days.
9. Security
Traffic between the app and Firebase is encrypted with TLS. Database rules require an authenticated identity, and restrict writes to a game to the two players seated in it.
10. Children
Online play has no chat or free-text input. A parent or guardian may email us to request deletion of a child's Online data. Advertising consent and age-related treatment are handled using Google's regional consent tools.
11. Your rights
Under laws such as the GDPR and the CCPA you may request access to, correction of, export of, or deletion of the personal data we hold about you, and object to our processing of it. Email support@checkmate-app.com. If you have never played online, we may not have an account record that can be associated with you.
12. International transfers
Firebase and AdMob may process data on servers outside your country, including in the United States, using Google's applicable transfer safeguards.
13. Changes
If a future version changes what is collected, we will update this policy, change the date at the top, and describe the change in the release notes before that version ships. This page was substantially rewritten when the Online sign-in or advertising changes.
14. Contact
Mrutyunjay Studio · support@checkmate-app.com