Privacy Policy

Effective date: October 28, 2026 · Last updated: November 6, 2026

This Privacy Policy explains how Chengdu Chess Road Technology Co., Ltd. (“Chess Road,” “we,” “us,” or “our”) processes information when you use the Chess Road website at https://chessroad.cn/, the mobile application 「象棋公社」(Xiangqi Commune; English name Chess Road, which may appear in app stores as 「象棋公社」 or Chess Road; the “App”), and related services (together, the “Services”).

About Chess Road. Chess Road is a Chinese chess (Xiangqi) application for playing, training, reviewing games, and analyzing positions with an on-device chess engine. You can access this website and learn about Chess Road without creating an account or signing in.

1. Controller and contact details

Data controller: Chengdu Chess Road Technology Co., Ltd.
App and website name: 象棋公社 / Chess Road（棋路）; Huawei AppGallery package name: cn.apppk.apps.chessroad.HUAWEI
Privacy contact: hezhaoyun@outlook.com
Public home page: https://chessroad.cn/

2. Information we collect

2.1 Account and identity information

If you choose to sign in with Google, we receive and process the basic profile information authorized by you through Google Sign-In: your Google account identifier, display name, email address, profile image, and related authentication information. If other sign-in options are available in your region or app edition, we process the basic identity information returned by that provider.

You may use the limited features available without an account. We do not require you to sign in merely to view this website or read this Privacy Policy.

2.1.1 Real-name verification and anti-addiction data

Where Chinese law requires real-name verification for online games, we process the legal name and national identity number you submit yourself, together with the resulting age bracket, or the verification status returned by Huawei Game Service. This information is used only to complete real-name verification, determine whether you are a minor, enforce playtime and play-window limits, and meet legal obligations. It is not used for advertising or any other purpose. After verification, the client stores only the verification result and age bracket, not the full identity number.

2.2 Game and learning information

Game records, positions, move history, saved games, favorites, training progress, puzzle results, and analysis preferences you create in the app.
Settings, language, theme, device-side engine configuration, and similar preferences.
Information submitted when you contact support, including the content of your request and any attachments you choose to provide.

Most local game analysis, board recognition, and engine calculation occur on your device. Unless you explicitly submit content for support or a cloud feature, images and board positions processed locally are not uploaded by Chess Road.

2.3 Purchases and subscriptions

If you purchase membership through Google Play, Google processes your payment method and billing information. We do not receive your full payment card number. We receive a Google Play purchase token, product identifier, transaction status, renewal or refund status, and limited order information needed to validate the purchase, provide membership benefits, restore purchases, prevent fraud, and maintain accounting records.

2.4 Device, security, and diagnostic information

We and our service providers may process IP address, device model, operating-system and app version, language, approximate region derived from IP, app configuration, service logs, error reports, and security events. We use this information to operate the Services, maintain sessions, diagnose crashes, prevent abuse, and improve reliability.

2.5 Website information

When you visit the website, our hosting provider may process request logs containing your IP address, browser type, requested URL, time, and response status. We may use strictly necessary cookies or local storage for security, session continuity, and language preferences. We do not use this website to create advertising profiles.

3. App permissions and third-party SDK disclosures

This section lists, item by item, the system permissions the Android app requests and, for each third-party SDK integrated into the app, the personal information it collects, the purpose, the scenario, and the collection method. These SDKs initialize and begin collecting only after you accept this Privacy Policy; nothing is collected before that.

3.1 System permissions requested by the app

Network and network state (INTERNET, ACCESS_NETWORK_STATE): sign-in, game synchronization, update checks, advertising and analytics requests, and detecting whether a network is available.
Advertising identifier (com.huawei.hms.permission.APP_TRACKING_AD_ID, together with com.google.android.gms.permission.AD_ID declared by the advertising SDK): reading the device advertising identifier (OAID on Huawei devices) for ad delivery, frequency capping, and measurement. You can reset or turn off the advertising identifier in system settings.
Photo selection (through the system photo picker or system gallery picker, limited to the images you pick): board recognition, avatar changes, and choosing board or background images that you trigger yourself. The app does not scan your gallery or read it in bulk.
Camera (granted temporarily by the system camera app only when you choose “photograph a board” or “take an avatar photo”): capturing a board photo or avatar. The photo is used only for that feature, and board recognition runs on the device.
Clipboard access (triggered only by your own action, such as importing a FEN string or copying invite text): importing positions and copying text. The app does not read the clipboard in the background.
Vibration (VIBRATE): haptic feedback for moves and hints.
Wake lock (WAKE_LOCK): keeping the device awake during games and engine analysis so computation is not interrupted.
Bluetooth and Wi-Fi state (BLUETOOTH, ACCESS_WIFI_STATE, declared by the advertising SDK): used by the Petal Ads SDK for ad delivery and attribution. The app itself does not use these permissions to obtain any information.
Phone state (READ_PHONE_STATE, declared by the advertising SDK): its purpose is described in the Petal Ads entry in section 3.2. The app itself does not call this permission.

3.2 Third-party SDKs integrated in the app

Petal Ads SDK (Huawei Ads / HMS Ads)

Provider: Huawei Software Technologies Co., Ltd.
Purpose: showing splash and rewarded-video ads to cover the operating cost of free users, and performing ad delivery, frequency capping, and measurement.
Scenario: a splash ad when the app starts; a rewarded-video ad when you tap “watch a video” to obtain a free benefit.
Personal information collected:
- Accelerometer (motion sensor) data: used to determine device orientation and movement, detect abnormal taps, and prevent ad fraud and invalid traffic.
- Device identifiers: advertising identifier (OAID / AAID), device UDID, and device-serial-type identifiers;
- Device information: model, brand, manufacturer, OS version, screen size and resolution, system language and time zone, root status, and network type (Wi-Fi or mobile);
- Network and location: IP address and the approximate location derived from it (country or province level, no precise coordinates);
- App information: package name, app version, and, to the extent the operating system permits, which apps are installed (for ad attribution and anti-fraud);
- Ad interaction data: requests, impressions, clicks, closes, video completions, and conversions.
Collection method: collected on the device by the SDK and transmitted over an encrypted channel to Huawei servers; it does not pass through our servers.
Note: the app does not read IMEI or MAC address for advertising purposes; ad-related identifiers are obtained by the Huawei SDK within what the operating system permits.
Third-party privacy policy: Petal Ads data collection statement, Huawei Ads privacy statement

Baidu Mobile Statistics SDK (MTJ)

Provider: Beijing Baidu Netcom Science and Technology Co., Ltd.
Purpose: measuring app usage and feature events (such as games, training, sharing, and purchases) to diagnose product issues, improve features, and evaluate channel performance. The app does not use this SDK for ad delivery.
Scenario: initialized at app start after you accept this Privacy Policy, and recording events as you use features.
Personal information collected:
- MAC address: to generate a device identifier that distinguishes devices, counts new and active users, and detects anomalous data;
- IMEI: where the operating system permits and you have authorized it, for device identification and de-duplication;
- ANDROID ID (the Android device identifier): to generate the device identifier used for statistics;
- Device information: model, brand, OS version, screen resolution, and system language;
- Network information: IP address, network type (Wi-Fi or mobile), and carrier;
- App information: package name, app version, and channel name;
- Behavioral events: page entries and dwell time, feature taps, game and training results, purchase-success events (including product identifier and amount, never card numbers), and crash or exception information.
Collection method: collected on the device by the SDK and reported over an encrypted channel to Baidu’s statistics servers; it does not pass through our servers, and we do not receive the raw values of these device identifiers.
Third-party privacy policy: Baidu Mobile Statistics privacy policy, Baidu general privacy policy

Huawei Game Service, Huawei Account, and Huawei IAP SDK (Huawei AppGallery edition only)

Provider: Huawei Software Technologies Co., Ltd.
Purpose: Huawei Account sign-in and identity verification, real-name verification and anti-addiction (playtime and play-window limits for minors), in-app purchases and entitlement checks, the game buoy, and update prompts.
Scenario: when you sign in with a Huawei Account; when entering features that require real-name or anti-addiction checks; when purchasing a membership; at app start and when checking for updates.
Personal information collected: Huawei Account OpenID / UnionID, player ID, nickname and avatar, real-name status and age bracket, and anti-addiction playtime records; purchase information (product identifier, order number, purchase token, transaction status, renewal and refund status); device and system information, app version, and IP address.
Collection method: collected by the Huawei SDK and processed by Huawei servers; the app receives only the sign-in identifiers, real-name status, and purchase validation results needed to provide the service.
Third-party privacy policy: HMS Core privacy statement, Huawei privacy

NPPA real-name verification system (National Press and Publication Administration)

Provider: the National Press and Publication Administration’s online-game anti-addiction real-name verification system, accessed through our server as an intermediary.
Purpose: meeting the real-name verification and anti-addiction obligations under Chinese regulations on preventing minors from becoming addicted to online games.
Scenario: the first time you use a feature requiring real-name verification, or when the system determines that re-verification is needed.
Personal information collected: the legal name and national identity number you submit; the response is a verification status and whether you are an adult.
Collection method: submitted by you over an encrypted channel to our server and forwarded to the verification system; we do not retain the full identity number, only the verification result and age bracket.

Device and install-source information (collected by the app itself)

Purpose: determining which marketing channel a new user came from, evaluating campaign performance, and distinguishing reinstalls from retries to avoid double counting.
Scenario: the first launch after you accept this Privacy Policy (once), and a one-time attribution binding after a successful sign-in.
Personal information collected: device class (Android or iOS), device model, OS version, physical screen resolution and pixel density, system language, time-zone offset, and a random app-generated device identifier (not a hardware identifier).
Collection method: collected by the app and reported over an encrypted API to our server; not shared with third parties. It does not include IMEI, MAC address, phone number, or contacts.

3.3 Information we do not collect

The app does not collect your contacts, SMS messages, call logs, precise GPS location, your entire photo library, or microphone recordings, and it does not read the clipboard in the background. Games, training progress, and engine analysis are computed locally on your device and are not uploaded unless you actively use online play, cloud sync, or customer support.

4. Google user data and Limited Use

Chess Road obtains Google user data only through permissions you approve. We use Google user data solely to:

authenticate you and create or access your Chess Road account;
link your Chess Road account with membership or subscription entitlements;
display your basic profile information within the Services; and
provide support, security, fraud prevention, and account administration.

We do not sell Google user data. We do not use Google user data for advertising, credit decisions, surveillance, or to train generalized artificial-intelligence models. We do not permit humans to read Google user data unless you request support, we obtain your affirmative consent, or the access is necessary for security, legal compliance, or operation of the Services.

Chess Road’s use and transfer of information received from Google APIs to any other app will adhere to the Google API Services User Data Policy, including the Limited Use requirements.

Google APIs are not used by Chess Road to generate, edit, distribute, or facilitate AI-generated non-consensual intimate imagery, sexually explicit material, or other prohibited abuse.

5. How we use information

Provide the chess, training, analysis, account, and membership features you request.
Authenticate users and synchronize account-linked data.
Validate and restore Google Play and other app-store purchases.
Maintain security, investigate abuse, and comply with applicable law.
Respond to support requests and send essential service notices.
Understand aggregate reliability and improve app performance.

We do not sell personal information. We do not use personal information for cross-app behavioral advertising in the Google Play edition. Android editions distributed outside Google Play integrate advertising and analytics SDKs (the Huawei AppGallery edition integrates the Petal Ads SDK and the Baidu Mobile Statistics SDK). The categories of personal information they collect, the purposes, and the collection methods are described in section 3, “App permissions and third-party SDK disclosures.”

6. Sharing and service providers

We may share information with:

Google, when you choose Google Sign-In or Google Play Billing;
Huawei, when you choose Huawei Account sign-in or Huawei AppGallery Billing, and when the AppGallery edition shows Petal Ads;
Beijing Baidu Netcom Science and Technology Co., Ltd., for analytics in the AppGallery edition;
the NPPA real-name verification system, for real-name verification and anti-addiction;
hosting, database, security, monitoring, and support providers acting on our instructions;
professional advisers, auditors, and authorities when required by law or necessary to protect rights and safety; and
a successor entity in a merger, acquisition, reorganization, or transfer of the Services.

We do not sell or rent personal information. Recipients may process information in countries other than your own. Where required, we use contractual and organizational safeguards for international transfers.

7. Retention

We retain information only for as long as reasonably necessary to provide the Services, maintain account and purchase records, resolve disputes, enforce agreements, and meet legal, tax, accounting, and security obligations. Local game data remains on your device until you delete it or uninstall the app, subject to the device’s backup behavior.

8. Security

We use reasonable administrative, technical, and organizational safeguards, including encrypted network connections, access controls, and monitoring. No system is completely secure, but we work to limit access to personal information to authorized personnel and providers who need it to operate the Services.

9. Your choices and rights

Depending on your location, you may have rights to access, correct, export, restrict, object to, or delete personal information, and to withdraw consent. You can:

delete local game content through the app or by uninstalling it;
delete your Chess Road account from the app’s account settings, or through our account deletion page;
disconnect Google access through your Google Account permissions;
revoke Chess Road’s access in your Huawei Account authorization settings, or turn off the advertising identifier (OAID) authorization for this app in system settings; and
contact hezhaoyun@outlook.com to request access, correction, deletion, or another privacy right.

We may need to verify your identity before completing a request. Some records may be retained where required for legal, tax, fraud-prevention, or accounting purposes.

10. Children

We take the protection of children’s personal information seriously. In editions distributed through app stores in mainland China, we handle minors’ information in accordance with the PRC Personal Information Protection Law, the Provisions on the Cyber Protection of Children’s Personal Information, and the national rules on preventing minors from becoming addicted to online games:

Users under 14 must obtain the consent of a parent or guardian before using the app. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 14 without guardian consent.
We determine adulthood through real-name verification and enforce playtime and play-window limits for minors (minors may play only between 20:00 and 21:00 on permitted days, for no more than one hour per day). The related real-name and playtime data is handled as described in section 3.
We do not use minors’ personal information for targeted advertising, and we do not sell it or share it with unrelated third parties.
If a guardian believes a child has provided personal information without consent, they may contact us using the details in section 12 to request access, correction, or deletion, and we will act promptly.

Editions distributed outside mainland China (such as the Google Play edition) are not directed to children under 13, and we do not knowingly collect their personal information. Where local law requires a higher age or guardian consent, users must meet that requirement.

11. Changes to this policy

We may update this Privacy Policy to reflect changes in the Services, technology, or law. We will publish the revised policy on this page and update the effective date. Material changes may also be communicated in the app where appropriate.

12. Contact us

Questions or requests concerning this Privacy Policy may be sent to hezhaoyun@outlook.com. We will review and respond within a reasonable period.