Data protection statement

We, the ChessBase GmbH, welcome your interest in our website. Protecting your private sphere is very important to us. Below, we inform you in detail how we deal with your data.

We take very seriously the protection of your personal data and the way we handle it confidentially. What we do with your personal data is done exclusively in accordance with the legal framework imposed by the data protection law of the European Union, specifically the General Data Protection Regulation (hereinafter “GDPR”) and subsequent applicable regulations.

This data protection statement informs you how we make use of your personal data on our website at www.chessbase.com and about your rights under the GDPR.

1. Name and contact data of the firm to which the statement refers

This data protection statement refers to data processing by: ChessBase GmbH (hereinafter “ChessBase”, “we”), Osterbekstraße 90a, 22083 Hamburg, Email: info@chessbase.com, Telephone 040 63 90 60-0

2. Processing of personal data

In what follows we inform you about the processing of your personal data whenever you make use of our website simply as a visitor. Information about the processing of your personal data when you make use of what is on offer on our website as a user of the ChessBase online shop can be found below under sub-heading III of this data protection statement. Information about the processing of your personal data as far as further services of ChessBase Online - can be found below under sub-heading IV of this data protection statement.

1. The object of data protection

The object of data protection consists of “personal data”. This is all the information which refers to an identified or identifiable private person (so-called affected person). This includes e.g. information such as name, postal address, e-mail address or telephone number, but also information such as your ChessBase user profile name or data linked to it.

Specific information about the personal data processed by us can be found below in the detailed data processing operations.

2.         Collection and storing of personal data and the type and purpose of processing

1. Visiting the website

Whenever you log into our website or leave a comment on it, the IP address of the computer you connected with is temporarily stored in a so-called logfile. The said data is then over-written with fresh data collected the next time you log in or leave a comment.

The legal basis for the data processing is Art. 6 (1) f) DGPR. Our legitimate interest follows from the fact that we are able to recognise any improper use and where appropriate prevent it. On no account will we make use of the data collected for the purpose of drawing conclusions about you as a person.

In addition, when you visit our website we employ cookies and analysis services. You will receive more detailed explanations about this under numbers 4 and 6 of this data protection statement.

2. Receiving a newsletter

Insofar as according to Art. 6 (1)  a) DGPR you have specifically given your consent, we use your e-mail address in order to regularly send you our newsletter. In order to receive the newsletter it is sufficient to have given us your e-mail address.

If you purchase goods or services on our internet site and in doing so leave your e-mail address this can subsequently be used by us in order to send a newsletter. In such a case we will send with the newsletter exclusively direct advertising for our own goods or services. The legal basis for the sending of the newsletter following the purchase of goods or services is in this case  § 7  (3) UWG together with Art. 6 (1)  f) DGPR.

You may withdraw consent at any time no matter whether the sending of the newsletter was based on your specific consent or on legally permissible grounds, for example via a link at the end of one newsletter or another. Alternatively you can at any time send us your withdrawal of consent to info@chessbase.com by e-mail. There are no costs involved other than the costs of transmission according to base tariffs.

The data required for the sending of the newsletter are deleted as soon as they are no longer required for the purpose for which they were collected and insofar as no other legal basis requires further processing. Your e-mail address is then stored for the distribution of the newsletters until you withdraw your consent or no longer wish to receive the newsletter.

3. Using our contact form and e-mail contact

For questions of any sort we offer you the option of contacting us via a contact form made available on our website. To do so you are required to use a valid e-mail address, so that we know from whom the request comes in order to be able to answer it. Further information can be added if you so wish.

Alternatively it is possible to make contact via the e-mail address which is provided. In this case your personal data which you have provided with the e-mail will be stored.

Data processing for the purpose of making contact comes under Art. 6 (1)  f) DGPR. If the goal of making contact is the conclusion of a contract, then the additional legal basis for the processing of the data is Art. 6 (1)  b) DGPR.

The personal data which we collect is deleted after the question you brought up has been dealt with.

3.         Disclosure of data

We will only pass on your data to third parties if the data protection regulations allow this. In this sense, we are allowed to disclose your personal data to a third party if this processing is required in order to fulfil a contract with you of for the carrying out of pre-contractual measures, which stem from your request, e.g. passing on your address to a carrier (Art. 6 (1) b) DGPR).

Furthermore, we work together with providers of services, so-called contract workers, who process your data for us and directed by us as described in Art. 28 DGPR (e.g. in evaluating the use of our website via Google Analytics, cf. Number 5). These service providers are carefully selected and contracted by us; they are bound to our instructions and regularly vetted.

4. Cookies

We employ cookies and similar technologies on our website. These are small files which are automatically created by your browser and which are stored on your device (laptop, tablet, smartphone, etc.), whenever you visit our website. Cookies in no way damage your device, do not accept viruses, trojans or other malicious software.

The cookie stores information which is generated on each occasion linked to the device which is actually in use. This does not mean, however, that we receive from them any direct knowledge of your identity.

On one hand, employing cookies serves to make access to what we are offering more pleasant for you. Thus we install so-called session cookies in order to recognise that you have already visited individual pages on our website. These are automatically deleted when you leave our website.

Over and above that we also make use of temporary cookies in order to make things as user-friendly as possible; these are stored on your device for a pre-determined length of time. If you revisit our website in order to avail yourself of our services, it is automatically recognised that you have already been on the site and which inputs and settings you have used so that you do not have to enter them again.

On the other hand we employ cookies for a statistical analysis to evaluate the use of our website and for the purpose of optimising our offer to you (see Number 5).

Depending on their function and purpose cookies can basically be subdivided into three categories: technically necessary cookies, cookies for the purpose of analysis and cookies for marketing purposes.

Technically necessary cookies

What we are dealing with here are those cookies which are required for you to be able to navigate our website and to make use of the basic functions associated with the web page. This includes here, for example, possible access to secure areas of the website and the storing of preferences which allow us to make our services more quickly available to you whenever you re-visit our site.

The legal basis for the use of technically necessary cookies is Art. 6 (1) b/f) DGPR. This is because the cookies serve to offer you a service you wish to access on our website or to meet our legitimate interest.

Analysis cookies

These cookies allow us to establish how visitors interact with our website by collecting information, e.g. as to which preferences and search terms led to the website being accessed. This information is not matched to any other personal information we known about you. The analysis cookies serve to improve the user-friendliness of our website and consequently your experience as a user of it. You will find further information under II.5.

The legal basis for the use of analysis cookies is Art. 6 (1 f) DGPR. This is since the analysis cookies serve our justified interest in improving the user-friendliness of our website and consequently your experience as a user of it.

Marketing cookies

Marketing cookies are used to offer content which is relevant and appropriate to the interests of the user. In addition they are used to measure the effectiveness of and to guide advertising campaigns. They register whether a website has been visited or which content has been used.  This information can when appropriate be shared with third parties, e.g. advertisers. These cookies are often linked to the workings of third party sites. You will find further information under II.6.

The legal basis for the use of analysis cookies is Art. 6 (1 f) DGPR. This is since the cookies serve our justified interest in measuring and guiding the effectiveness of advertising campaigns.

Once you have given your permission for the use of analysis and marketing cookies, you can retract it at any future point and appropriate opportunities are available to you to change the settings. You can also configure your browser in such a way that no cookies are stored on your computer or that a warning is always given before a new cookie is saved. Complete deactivation of cookies, however, can lead to you not being able to use all the functions on our website.

Options for opting from analysis and marketing cookies

At any future point you can retract your permission for the use of analysis or marketing cookies and appropriate opportunities are available to you to change the settings.  

You can also configure your browser in such a way that no cookies are stored on your computer or that a warning is always given before a new cookie is saved. Complete deactivation of cookies, however, can lead to you not being able to use all the functions on our website.

5. Analysis by Google Analytics

For the analysis of the usage of our website we make use of Google Analytics (from: Google Ireland Ltd., Gordon House, Barrow Street, Dublin 4, Ireland). Google analytics uses cookies to identify the frequency of use of specific areas of our website and preferences. In doing so Google Analytics conducts an analysis of usage across various devices which is made possible by the use of a specific user ID. This user ID allows them to classify the interaction data from a single user but derived from different devices and different sessions. This user ID is not linked to personal information concerning the user.

The information derived concerning the use of our website (including the shortened IP addresses of users) is transferred to and saved on a server belonging to Google. Google will use this information on our behalf and on the basis of an order processing contract in order to evaluate the use of our website, to prepare reports for us and provide other related services. Further information about data protection and security relating to Google Analytics can be found at https://support.google.com/analytics/answer/6004245?hl=en.

6. Online Marketing

Within the online shop on our website (for more details see under Number III) we also employ tools for the continual optimisation of our online marketing.

The legal basis for the use of relevant marketing cookies is Art. 6 (1) a) DGPR. This is since the cookies are only used if you give your consent by means of an appropriate setting.

1. Google Ads

We employ the "Ads" procedure of Google in order to place adverts in Google’s advertising network in such a way that they are displayed to users who are potentially interested in our adverts. In this case when they are accessed on our and other websites on which Google’s advertising network is active, a code is executed by Google and so-called marketing tags (also known as web beacons) are attached. With their help, an individual cookie is stored on your device (instead of cookies alternative technologies can also be used). This notes which websites you have visited and which contents interested you or which pages you clicked on; furthermore technical information and other details are stored for further use. Moreover an individual “conversion cookie” is installed. The information obtained with the help of this is used by Google to establish conversion statistics for us. We only learn, however, the anonymous total number of users who have clicked on our advert and who have been transferred onwards to a page which has a marketing tag attached to it. The users‘ data are processed under a pseudonym within Google’s advertising network, unless they have chosen some other setting. The information collected is transmitted to Google and saved on their servers in the USA.

You will find further information as to the use of the data by Google and options regarding settings and objections as well as the settings for the display of adverts under  https://policies.google.com/technologies/ads or https://adssettings.google.com/authenticated.

2. Google Retargeting  

We use Google’s retargeting technologies. This makes it possible to send to users of our website in a targeted fashion advertising linked to their interests such as they have already shown for our website and our products. The display of adverts follows on from a cookie-based analysis of the previous behaviour of the user, but no personal data is stored during this process. In the retargeting a cookie is installed on your device in order to collect anonymised data concerning your interests. This means that you are shown adverts which are most probably more related to the products which interest you. You can prevent the storing of cookies for the purpose of retargeting by installing the following plugin: https://www.google.com/settings/ads/onweb/.

You can find further information about the data processing connected with retargeting by Google under http://www.google.com/policies/technologies/ads/.

3. Google Tag Manager

On our website we make use of the Google Tag Manager which makes it possible for us to be able to integrate into our website and to manage tracking cookies and code fragments (tags).

• Google Tag Manager works without cookies and is a domain which simply brings about the triggering of other tags and does not itself access the data collected. So it basically comes down to a forwarding of data without the latter being stored or collected. Rather, the tag manager detects when an analysis tool wants to collect data and forwards it to the relevant program.

Further information about the Google Tag Manager can be found at https://www.google.com/intl/de/tagmanager/faq.html/http://www.google.de/intl/de/policies/privacy.

4. Bing Ads

We employ the conversion and tracking tool “Bing Ads”. Bing Ads is provided by the Microsoft Corporation, One Microsoft Way, Redmond, WA 98052-6399, USA. In the context of Bing Ads cookies are stored on your device by Microsoft, in order to make possible an analysis of the use of our website insofar as you reached our website via Bing (“conversion tracking”). We (and Microsoft) can thus recognise whether you clicked on an advert which led you to our website or to a specific page you had in mind. With this we learn simply the total number of users who clicked on an advert and were then directed to our websiteYou will find further information about Microsoft’s data protection in the Microsoft data protection statement: https://privacy.microsoft.com/de-de/privacystatement.

4. Bing Ads Universal Event Tracking (UET)

We use technologies from Microsoft with which, based on Microsoft‘s Bing adverts, data is collected and stored from which user profiles are created using pseudonyms. This makes it possible for us to follow your activities on our website if you came to it via Bing adverts. If you reach our website via a Bing advert a cookie is installed on your device. On our website a UET tag is integrated; this is a code, via which, together with the cookie, non-personal data about the use of the website is stored. The information collected is sent to the Microsoft server in the USA where it is stored basically for a maximum of 180 days. You can prevent the collection and processing of the data by deactivating the setting of cookies. In addition, under certain circumstances Microsoft can by means of so-called cross-device-tracking follow your use of the site on several of your devices, meaning that it is in a position to display adverts relevant to your interests on Microsoft websites.

You can find more information about the analysis services of Microsoft and about data protection in Microsoft and Bing under: https://help.bingads.microsoft.com/#apex/3/de/53056/2 or https://privacy.microsoft.com/de-de/privacystatement.

7. Data security

When you visit the website we make use of the common SSL process (Secure Socket Layer) in connection with the highest level of encoding which is supported by your browser. In general this involves a 256 Bit encoding. If your browser does not support 256 Bit encoding, we will instead revert to 128 Bit v3 technology. You can recognise whether an individual website of ours on the net is encoded by the by the representation of a closed key or padlock symbol in the bottom status bar of your browser.

Moreover, we make use of appropriate technical and organisational security measures in order to protect your data against random or intentional manipulation, partial or complete loss, destruction or unauthorised access by third parties. Our security measures are continuously being improved according to technological developments.

3. How we use the personal data of users of the ChessBase online shop

If you use the ChessBase online shop (hereinafter “ChessBase Shop”) the following supplementary information is in force.

1. ChessBase user account

In order to acquire goods and/or services via the shop, you have to log in with your ChessBase user account. If you do not have such a ChessBase user account, you will be asked to set up a new ChessBase user account. With your ChessBase user account accessible via your e-mail address and the password you have chosen, you have at any time access to your previous orders and control over your personal data for the processing of orders.

To set up a ChessBase user account you have to enter into the input box the user profile name you wish, your e-mail address and the password you wish to use.

Our justification for the use of the data for the management of the ChessBase user account, and which you input pursuant to an order, derives from Art. 6 (1)  b) GDPR, since the use of the data is required in order to fulfil the contract requested.

If you wish, we will delete the ChessBase user account. Until then we will store the relevant data without limit of time so that you can at any time have access to it. When a ChessBase user account is deleted after the processing of an order (expiration of the warranty period) we lock the data referring to specific purchases and delete it after expiration of the warranty period. 

We also process the purchase history associated with your ChessBase user account. This processing is justified by reference to Art. 6 (1)  f)  GDPR and serves our justified interest in always improving what we offer an offering you suitable products from the ChessBase Shop.

2. Payment data, delivery address and billing address

When acquiring wares and/or services in the ChessBase Shop you are required to choose a way to pay and let either us or the company which guarantees your payments have the relevant payment data.

Insofar as you also use your ChessBase user account for ChessBase online offers, you have possibly while using the database acquired “ChessBase ducats” (hereinafter “ducats”). This is a unit of currency with which players and users on ChessBase etc. can “reward” one another. You can also use these ducats to pay for products in the ChessBase Shop. You will find details of this from the conditions referring to the ChessBase shop on the website. We process personal data concerning these ducats.

Insofar as you make use of the option to take delivery from us of goods in physical form, you provide us in the ChessBase Shop with a delivery address and a billing address.

Our justification for the use of your payment data, delivery address and billing address for the settlement of your purchase, and which you input pursuant to an order, derives from Art. 6 (1)  b) GDPR, since the use of the data is required in order to fulfil the contract requested.

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4. Processing of personal data of users of the ChessBase Online offers and the Apps: “Playchess”- platform, ChessBase Live Database, ChessBase “MyGames Cloud”, online browser chess game “Fritz!”, the ChessBase Training and “Opening App”

Whenever you make use of the ChessBase Online offers, the following supplementary information is valid.

ChessBase offers you, e.g., the option to make use of the following online services: the “Playchess” platform, ChessBase Live Database, ChessBase “MyGames Cloud”, the online browser chess game ”Fritz!”, the ChessBase Training and “Opening App” (hereinafter “ChessBase Online Offers”).

You can book your access to the ChessBase Online Offers by means of a subscription. To make use of these offers you need a ChessBase user account. Information concerning the ChessBase user account with reference to the setting up of a user account and the methods of payment for the ChessBase online shop apply as appropriate.

When you make use of the ChessBase Online Offers, we process, in addition to the data processed for a simple visit to the ChessBase website, the following additional data:

• your user profile name
• your playing statistics
• ducats-vouchers
• player evaluation

Data is recorded concerning your activities as a user in order to improve your experience as a user (by the saving of the last game of chess which you looked at so that as you continue as a user you are able to have direct access to this information). In addition cookies are stored in your browser to support your use of the online offers.

For online games, which you play as a registered user, your playing data is recorded and analysed. This allows us to evaluate and rank your ability in terms of Elo ratings. Alternatively you can play friendly games without evaluation or anonymous games by choosing to access the site as a guest.

With regard to the “Playchess” platform, other users can according to the circumstances follow online games which you are playing, comment on them and evaluate them. Moreover, they can see information about your user profile (user profile name, player ranking, awards).

Our justification for the use of your data for ChessBase Online Offers derives from Art. 6 (1)  b) GDPR, since the use of the data is required in order to fulfil the contract requested. This also holds true for the analysis of your play, to the extent that  this operates in your favour. Insofar as you have supplied the payment data for taking out a subscription for the ChessBase Online Offers, this is also valid.

To the extent that we employ your activities as a user in order to improve what ChessBase offers in the way of goods and services and the ChessBase Online Offers, this is carried out based on Art. 6 (1)  f) GDPR for our own legitimate interest and the legitimate interest of our users in improving ChessBase products, especially the training material contained in ChessBase.

5. Your rights

1. Some points on mandatory information

According to Art. 13 (2) e) GDPR we advise you that the provision of your personal data is neither legally nor contractually required. Insofar as its provision is necessary for the fulfilling of a contract, this is made clear during the ordering process in compulsory fields. Moreover, you are not obliged to provide us with personal data. Not doing so will have no negative consequences for you, apart from the fact that it may not be possible to fulfil the order you desired. We do not process your personal data for the purposes of some automated decision making.

2. Rights of the person whose data it is

You have the right:

• According to Art. 15 GDPR to obtain information about personal data of yours processed by us. Specifically, you can obtain information concerning the purposes of the processing, the category of personal data concerned, the categories of recipients to whom the personal data have been or will be disclosed, the envisaged period for which the personal data will be stored, the existence of the right to request rectification or erasure of personal data or restriction of processing of personal data, the right to lodge a complaint, where the personal data are not collected by us any available information as to their source, the existence of automated decision-making, including profiling, and meaningful information about their details;
• According to Art. 16 GDPR the right to obtain without undue delay the rectification of inaccurate or incomplete personal data we have stored and which concerns you;
• According to Art. 17 GDPR the right to obtain the erasure of personal data concerning you, so long as the processing is not required for exercising the right of freedom of expression and information, for compliance with a legal obligation, for the performance of a task carried out in the public interest or for the establishment, exercise or defence of legal claims;
• According to Art. 18 GDPR the right to obtain restriction of processing your personal data when the accuracy of the personal data is being contested by you, the processing is unlawful and you oppose the erasure of the personal data and we no longer need the data but you require it for the establishment, exercise or defence of legal claims or according to Art. 21 DSGVO you have raised an objection to its processing;
• According to Art. 20 GDPR the right to receive the personal data you have provided to us in a structured, commonly used and machine-readable format and to transmit those data to another data controller;
• According to Art. 7  (3)  GDPR the right to withdraw your consent at any time. This has as a consequence that for the future we may no longer continue to process the data for which this consent was given and
• According to Art. 77 GDPR the right to lodge a complaint with a supervisory authority, As a rule this may be that of your habitual residence, place of work or the headquarters of our firm.

3. The right to object

Insofar as your personal data is being processed on the basis of legitimate interests according to Art. 6 (1)  f) GDPR, you have the right according to  Art. 21 GDPR to raise an objection against the processing of your personal data, if there are grounds for it which result from your particular situation or if the objection is directed against direct marketing. In the latter case you have a general right to object, which will be implemented by us without specification of a special situation.

If you would like to make use of your right to retract or object you need only send an email to info@chessbase.com.

6. Validity and changes to this data protection statement

This data protection statement is at present in force and dates from April 2020.

The further development of our website and offers on it or altered legal or official requirements can make it necessary to make changes to this data protection statement. You can access and print out the data protection statement in force at any time at https://en.chessbase.com/pages/security.

7. Cookies in use on our website