1. General Principle
Elite64 organizes skill-based chess competitions. These are skill-based competitions. The amounts committed to enter a tournament (entry fees) and the reward pools are clearly displayed before any registration.
No rewards are guaranteed. Any rewards depend exclusively on the player's performance and ranking in the competition.
The only automatic refund provided for under this policy is one resulting from the cancellation of a tournament before it starts. Outside of this situation, any refund is exceptional and subject to a case-by-case decision by the Operator.
This policy does not constitute an e-commerce-style withdrawal right. Skill-based competitions do not fall within the contractual framework that gives rise to a standard right of withdrawal (cooling-off period, etc.). By entering a tournament, the player accepts the competition rules and this refund policy.
2. Non-Refundable Cases
The following situations do **not** give rise to a refund:
- Tournament confirmed and started: once the tournament has begun, the entry fees paid are non-refundable.
- Withdrawal or absence of the player after registration and confirmation of the tournament.
- Player's result in the competition (elimination, defeat, final ranking): no refund will be granted on the grounds of the result obtained.
- Loss of connection or technical issue attributable to the player or their equipment.
- Change of mind or error on the part of the player (except in the event of a clear and proven error by the Operator, see section 3).
Reward pools are distributed in accordance with the tournament rules. No refund is due on the portion of the reward pool that has already been allocated or is in the process of being allocated based on the ranking.
3. Cases That May Give Rise to a Refund
Apart from cancellation before start (section 4), a refund may be considered only on an exceptional basis, after a case-by-case review. No automatic right is recognized. The following distinctions apply:
- Entry fees: in the event of a proven technical error attributable to the Platform that prevented the player from taking part in the tournament properly, the Operator may, at its sole discretion, consider refunding the entry fee.
- Reward pool: the distribution of rewards follows the tournament rules. A refund or adjustment of the reward-pool share is only conceivable in exceptional situations (proven technical error affecting the result or the conduct of the tournament), with no guarantee.
- Proven technical errors: critical bugs or major malfunctions of the Platform that directly prevented the normal running of the tournament or of a match may give rise to a review; the decision and any refund remain at the Operator's discretion.
Any request must be submitted in accordance with the procedure described in section 5. No promise of a refund or guaranteed processing time is given for these exceptional cases.
4. Cancellation or Interruption of a Competition
Cancellation before start: If a tournament is cancelled by the Operator before it starts (for example, an insufficient number of participants, administrative cancellation), the amount committed by each registered player is automatically refunded via Stripe to your original payment method. This is the only refund that is automatically provided for under this policy.
Interruption during the competition: If a tournament that has already started is interrupted (technical incident, force majeure, operational decision), the Operator is not required to provide an automatic refund. The handling of such situations (resumption, postponement, any goodwill gesture or partial refund) is determined on a case-by-case basis, depending on the circumstances and the operational capabilities in Phase 1.
Refunds made under this section are processed via Stripe to the player's original payment method, in accordance with the technical procedures in force.
5. Refund Request Procedure
Any refund request (other than the automatic refund in the event of cancellation before start) must be sent by email to the following address:
The request must include at least: the account identifier (or associated email), identification of the relevant tournament (name or reference), and a concise description of the facts and the reason for the request. Any supporting document or useful element may be attached to facilitate review.
Incomplete or non-identifiable requests may delay or prevent review. The Operator reserves the right to request additional information.
6. Processing Times and Methods
The Operator endeavors to respond to requests within an indicative period of 3 to 7 business days from receipt. This period is provided for information purposes only and is not guaranteed; it may be extended depending on the volume of requests and operational capacities in Phase 1.
When a refund is granted, it is refunded via Stripe to the player's original payment method, in accordance with the technical and operational procedures in force on the Platform. No processing time frame is guaranteed (see the Terms and Conditions).
The refusal of a refund request does not give rise to any compensation beyond what is provided for in this policy and in the Terms and Conditions.
7. Limitation of Liability
This refund policy applies within the framework of the Phase 1 launch. It defines all cases and refund methods offered by the Operator.
To the extent permitted by applicable law, the Operator cannot be held liable beyond the obligations expressly set out in this policy (in particular: automatic refund in the event of cancellation before start). For exceptional cases, the Operator's decision is final and does not create any obligation to replicate it in similar situations.
The provisions of the Terms and Conditions relating to liability and limitations apply in addition to this section.
8. Changes to the Policy
The Operator reserves the right to amend this Refund Policy at any time. Changes will be communicated to users by publication on the Platform, indicating the date of the last update. Material changes may be subject to separate notification where possible. Continued use of the service after publication constitutes acknowledgment of the changes. If the User disagrees with the new terms, they may stop using the service and request closure of their account in accordance with the Terms and Conditions.
9. Contacting Support
For any question regarding this Refund Policy or for any refund request, support can be reached at the following address:
The operator of the Elite64 Platform is **Synergy Digital Services Ltd**, a company incorporated under the laws of England & Wales and registered with Companies House.
**Company Number:** 16998181
**Registered Office:** 71-75 Shelton Street, Covent Garden, London, WC2H 9JQ, United Kingdom
Usual response time: 3 to 7 business days.