Fair Play & Cheating

Pixie Chess has real prizes, so we treat fair play seriously. We actively look for engine use, automation, and alt accounts, and take action on our findings.

What Counts as Cheating

Engine use.

Consulting a chess engine, an analysis board, or any other outside help while you play a rated game. We analyze games for engine use.

Botting.

Playing through automated software or scripts, or through anything other than the official client. This includes farming games, quests, or points.

Alt accounts.

Play on one account. Using a second account to get around a ban or suspension, re-enter the newcomer tier, collect free pieces or quest rewards again, take more than one spot in a tournament, or play against yourself counts as alting, and the linked accounts are actioned together.

Collusion.

Arranging results with other players, including throwing games and win trading.

How We Detect It

We combine analysis of move quality, device and network signals that link accounts to each other, and how each account plays over time. Player reports feed into the same review.

Suspensions and Bans

Depending on severity, an account is either suspended or banned. Either one can be timed or permanent, and repeat offenses are treated more severely.

Suspension.

You can still log in and play quickplay and Create a Link games. Brawls, tournaments, and earning points are disabled until the suspension ends. Any owed payouts are held, and we review each one before releasing or withholding it.

Ban.

The account is logged out and can't play. When a ban is issued:

• Games in progress are forfeited.
• You are withdrawn from any running tournament. Your opponent advances, and burned entry pieces are not returned.
• You are removed from the quickplay and brawl queues.
• A permanent ban removes the account's points.

Either way, you'll see a screen that lists the reason, when it ends, and any message from the team.

Rating Refunds

When an account is banned for engine use, cheating, or botting, players who lost rated quickplay or brawl games to the cheater have their rating returned, and the games are removed from their record. You'll get a notification when a refund is applied.

Reporting a Player

You can report an opponent from the game footer, choosing AFK / Stalling, Trolling, Cheating, or Other and adding details. Reports go to the moderation team for review.

If a report you filed is confirmed by a ban, it counts in your favor and can earn a reward. Reports filed in bad faith count against you, and lower the weight we give your future reports.

Appeals

If you think your account was actioned by mistake, open a ticket in our Discord and include a screenshot of the ban screen, which shows your username so we can find the account. Bans overturned on review are lifted, and points removed by the ban are restored.