I was banned from Chess.com for an entire year due to repeated violations of the Fair Play policy.I don’t deny it: I made several mistakes, and I fully acknowledge them.I was given multiple chances — and I wasted them. I take full responsibility.But I also tried to open a dialogue. I submitted several sincere appeals, asking for an opportunity to be heard.I never received a response.Complete silence. No explanation. No rehabilitation path.That alone would be frustrating enough. But Chess.com continued to charge my subscription, even after completely blocking my account.Only by checking Google Play I found out the subscription was cancelled — but no refund was offered for the days I couldn’t use the service.No notice. No support.To make it worse, the platform clearly applies a double standard:Grandmasters like Hans Niemann, publicly accused by Chess.com of cheating in over 100 games, were not banned for a year.I’m just a paying user — I didn’t even get an answer.The platform is excellent technically. But the way they manage support, fairness, and respect for regular users is appalling.If you make a mistake and you’re not famous, Chess.com deletes you — but still takes your money.After the closure of my account, I discovered that Chess.com does not issue automatic refunds, even when they are the ones who terminate access to a paid service.I understand that, under U.S. law, their Terms of Service may state that no refunds are granted in cases of policy violations (such as Fair Play violations).However, I am a citizen of the European Union, and in the EU, consumer protection law overrides any contractual clause that violates fundamental rights.Under Directive 2011/83/EU, if a digital service is unilaterally terminated by the provider before the end of the billing cycle, the consumer is legally entitled to a proportional refund for the unused period — regardless of the reason for termination.In other words, the “no refund” clause for cheating is not legally valid within the EU.It is considered an unfair contractual term and has no legal effect.Chess.com placing the burden on the banned user to “request” a refund — while continuing to charge for a service they themselves have revoked —is not only ethically questionable, but in potential violation of European consumer law.🟨UPDATE🟨After receiving confirmation of my one-year ban from Chess.com for Fair Play Policy violations, I noticed a serious inconsistency in their communication.In one email, I was told I could request a new account starting May 22, 2026.In another, the date was changed to May 27, 2026.In a matter this serious and impactful, clarity and consistency should be the minimum standard. Such discrepancies only further damage the perception of transparency and professionalism.I also wish to point out that during my appeal, I fully acknowledged my mistakes in a constructive and sincere manner. Yet, despite cooperating and taking responsibility, no details were offered about the alleged violations — and no explanation was given for the date inconsistency.Even banned users deserve accurate communication. Is that too much to ask?🟨 UPDATE🟨After my initial review, Chess.com finally responded.They confirmed that my ban will last one year starting May 22, 2025, and that I will be eligible to create a new account on May 22, 2026.They also mentioned that a refund for remaining credit on a closed account can be requested through their support chat by contacting the Billing Team.I appreciate the reply — even if it only came after public pressure.That said, I still want to highlight the following:No automatic refund was issued, even though the service was revoked by Chess.com.The communication is inconsistent and unclear.It shouldn't take a Trustpilot review to receive basic customer support.A more transparent and respectful approach would prevent a lot of frustration for paying users. Even banned users deserve clarity and fair treatment.🟨UPDATE – Refund still ignored🟨Yesterday (as suggested by Chess.com themselves) I submitted a refund request through their official support chat.As of now, I have received no response whatsoever.Once again: complete silence.They promised that a billing agent would reply “within 24 hours” — that time has passed.This confirms a pattern: if you're not a streamer or titled player, you're simply ignored.UPDATE – Refund receivedFollowing my previous review, I submitted a refund request as instructed by Chess.com. I'm pleased to confirm that I received a partial refund of €61.50 for the unused subscription period. The process took a few days, but the payment has now been credited back to my account.
