Fair play
Last updated: 3 October 2026
Chess is only worth playing against a real opponent. These rules keep rated games honest.
Rated play is not live yet. These rules apply from the day rated games open; until then, no game in Vetta is rated.
The rule
One person, one account. In rated games, no help from engines, other people or any other source, and no manipulating ratings, for example by losing on purpose or playing with a second account.
Rated games
- Rated games unlock after 3 finished games (against the AI or casual online).
- Players on the same network or device are never paired for a rated game; a rated challenge or rematch between them is played as casual.
- Two players can play at most 3 rated games together per day; after that their games are casual.
- A rating is provisional, shown with “?”, until 10 rated games at that pace.
- Leaving online games before they end means a short wait before searching again: 1, 5 or 30 minutes.
- Patterns between the same players (many games, games that keep ending early, a new account that keeps losing) raise a flag for a reviewer, never a sanction by itself.
How we check
Rated games are analysed on our servers for how often the moves match an engine’s choices and for timing patterns. The analysis only raises a flag: it never sanctions anyone by itself. A person reviews every flag, with the games involved, before taking any action.
What happens
- A warning.
- Rated play disabled for 30 days.
- Permanent unrated status: you can keep playing, but not rated games.
Reports
You can report a player from their menu in a game or from their profile: cheating, offensive chat, an inappropriate name, stalling or something else. People aged 18 and over can add details for the reviewers. The reported player does not see who reported them, and a report never leads to an automatic sanction: it only puts the player in front of a reviewer.
Appeals
You can appeal every decision. Until this is possible from the app, write to legal@vettachess.com from the email address of your account and tell us which decision you are appealing. A person reviews the appeal and we reply with the result.
Your data
Fair-play reviews use your games, your move times and the analysis results, on the basis of the legitimate interest that we and all players have in fair competition (see the Privacy policy). Flags and decisions are deleted together with your account.