Privacy Policy

Last Updated: July 30, 2026

Introduction

Welcome to Branchess ("we," "our," or "us"). We are committed to protecting your privacy and ensuring the security of your personal information. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, and safeguard your data when you use our mobile application.

Information We Collect

1. Local Data Storage

Our app stores data locally on your device using the device's local storage. This includes:

• Saved Games: Chess positions (FEN format) and game records (PGN format) that you choose to save
• Settings: Your app preferences such as theme selection, computer difficulty level, and database settings

Important: All saved data remains on your device. We do not have access to your saved games, and we do not store them on any external servers.

2. No Personal Information

We do not collect, store, or transmit any personally identifiable information, including:

• Your name, email address, or phone number
• Account credentials or authentication data
• Location data
• Device identifiers beyond what is necessary for app functionality

Information We Do Not Collect

• User Accounts: Our app does not require account creation or login
• Analytics: We do not use analytics services to track your usage
• Advertising: We do not serve ads or use advertising networks
• Social Media: We do not integrate with social media platforms
• Cloud Storage: We do not sync your data to cloud services

Network Usage

Our app requires internet access for the following purposes:

1. Opening Database API

When using Database mode, the app sends chess positions (FEN strings) to our custom opening explorer API to retrieve opening move statistics. This data includes:

• Chess board position (FEN format)
• No personal information is transmitted

API Endpoint: http://144.24.236.13:8000/explorer

2. Content Delivery Networks (CDNs)

The app loads chess-related libraries and resources from the following CDNs:

• jQuery (code.jquery.com)
• Chessboard.js (unpkg.com)
• Chess.js (cdnjs.cloudflare.com)
• Chess piece images (chessboardjs.com)

These resources are used solely for rendering the chess board and game functionality.

Data Retention and Deletion

Since all data is stored locally on your device:

• You retain full control over your saved games and settings
• Data is deleted when you uninstall the app or clear app data
• We do not retain copies of your data on our servers

Third-Party Services

Stockfish Chess Engine

Our app uses the Stockfish chess engine, which runs locally on your device. No chess positions or game data are sent to external servers for engine analysis.

External Libraries

We use open-source libraries that are included in the app:

• chess.js (chess move validation and game logic)
• @mliebelt/pgn-parser (PGN file parsing)
• react-native-vector-icons (UI icons)

These libraries operate entirely on your device and do not transmit data externally.

Children's Privacy

Our app is suitable for users of all ages. Since we do not collect personal information, we do not knowingly collect data from children under 13 (or applicable age in your jurisdiction).

Security

We implement reasonable security measures to protect your data:

• All data is stored locally on your device
• No sensitive information is transmitted over the network
• The app uses standard mobile security practices

However, please note that no method of transmission over the internet is 100% secure. While we strive to protect your data, we cannot guarantee absolute security.

Your Rights

Since we do not collect personal information, there is no personal data for you to access, modify, or delete. However, you have full control over:

• Your saved games (you can delete them at any time within the app)
• Your app settings (configurable through the Settings menu)
• The app itself (you can uninstall it at any time)

Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of any material changes by:

• Updating the "Last Updated" date at the top of this policy
• Providing notice within the app when feasible

Your continued use of the app after such changes constitutes your acceptance of the updated policy.

International Data Transfers

Since we do not collect or store personal data on external servers, no international data transfers occur. All data remains on your device.

Contact Us

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact us at:

guyalt11@gmail.com

App Permissions

Our app requires the following permissions:

Internet Access

• Purpose: To fetch opening move statistics from our database API and load chess board resources from CDNs
• Data Transmitted: Only chess positions (FEN strings) when using Database mode

No other permissions are required.

Compliance

This Privacy Policy is designed to comply with:

• General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)
• California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA)
• Other applicable privacy laws

Since we do not collect personal information, most data processing activities under these regulations do not apply to our app.

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