Tournament Organizer Agreement

1. Introduction

This Tournament Organizer Agreement (“Agreement”) governs the relationship between ChessNam and tournament organizers (“Organizers”) who use our platform to manage paid chess tournaments. By creating a paid tournament on ChessNam, you agree to all terms and conditions outlined in this Agreement.

2. Sub-Merchant Relationship

2.1 Payment Processing

• ChessNam processes all tournament payments through PayMongo, a licensed payment service provider
• Payments are collected via GCash with instant confirmation through PayMongo
• ChessNam collects entry fees + 7.5% platform fees + 2.5% processing fees
• Entry fees are collected and made available for organizer access and management
• Organizers must comply with all applicable KYC (Know Your Customer) requirements

2.2 Business Verification

Organizers may be required to provide business verification documents including:

• Government-issued identification
• Business registration documents (if applicable)
• Bank account information for payouts
• Tax identification numbers

3. Financial Responsibilities

3.1 Prize Distribution

• Organizers must distribute all advertised prizes to winners
• ChessNam has no obligation or ability to distribute prizes
• Organizers must maintain adequate funds to cover all promised prizes
• Prize distribution must occur within the timeframe communicated to participants
• Organizers are responsible for any taxes or fees associated with prize distribution

3.2 Refund Policy

• All tournament payments are final and non-refundable once processed
• This applies to entry fees, platform fees (7.5%), and processing fees (2.5%)
• Rare exceptions may be considered only for: tournament cancellation by organizer, duplicate payments, fraudulent tournaments, or technical errors
• Any exception requests are subject to ChessNam verification and approval
• Organizers cannot override the no-refund policy

3.3 Financial Capacity

• Organizers warrant they have adequate financial resources to fulfill all tournament obligations
• Organizers must not create tournaments with prizes exceeding their ability to pay
• ChessNam reserves the right to suspend organizers who fail to meet financial obligations

4. Tournament Management Obligations

4.1 Tournament Conduct

• Conduct tournaments as advertised and according to stated rules
• Maintain fair play standards and enforce anti-cheating measures
• Provide timely updates to participants about tournament status
• Handle disputes and complaints professionally and promptly
• Maintain accurate records of all tournament activities

4.2 Communication Requirements

• Respond to participant inquiries within 48 hours
• Provide clear contact information for support
• Notify participants promptly of any tournament changes or cancellations
• Maintain professional communication standards

4.3 Documentation and Records

• Maintain detailed records of all tournament transactions
• Keep documentation of prize distributions and refund requests
• Provide records to ChessNam upon request for compliance purposes
• Retain records for minimum 5 years as required by law

5. Platform Fees and Payments

5.1 Fee Structure

• ChessNam charges 7.5% platform fees on entry fees collected
• PayMongo charges 2.5% processing fees for GCash transactions
• Total participant payment = Entry fees + 7.5% platform fee + 2.5% processing fee
• All fees are clearly disclosed during tournament registration
• Platform fees are automatically retained by ChessNam

5.2 Entry Fee Collection

• ChessNam collects all entry fees through PayMongo integration
• Entry fees (minus platform fees) are made available for organizer access and management
• Payments are confirmed instantly upon successful GCash transaction
• Organizers can access collected entry fees for prize distribution and tournament management

5.3 Payment Disputes

• Payment disputes are handled through PayMongo's dispute resolution process
• ChessNam will coordinate with PayMongo for legitimate technical issues
• Organizers must provide documentation to support any dispute claims
• Failed or duplicate payments are automatically detected and handled by the system

6. Compliance and Legal Obligations

6.1 Regulatory Compliance

• Comply with all applicable laws and regulations in their jurisdiction
• Adhere to anti-money laundering (AML) requirements
• Report suspicious activities as required by law
• Maintain compliance with tax obligations

6.2 Prohibited Activities

• Creating fraudulent or misleading tournaments
• Failing to distribute promised prizes
• Engaging in money laundering or other financial crimes
• Violating gambling or gaming regulations
• Discriminating against participants based on protected characteristics

6.3 Data Protection

• Protect participant personal information according to applicable privacy laws
• Use participant data only for legitimate tournament purposes
• Comply with data breach notification requirements
• Respect participant rights regarding their personal data

7. Liability and Indemnification

7.1 Organizer Liability

• Organizers are solely liable for all tournament outcomes and disputes
• ChessNam is not responsible for organizer actions or failures
• Organizers bear all risk for tournament financial obligations
• Participants engage with organizers at their own risk

7.2 Indemnification

Organizers agree to indemnify and hold harmless ChessNam from all claims, damages, losses, and expenses arising from:

• Tournament organization and management
• Prize distribution failures or disputes
• Refund processing failures
• Violation of laws or regulations
• Breach of this Agreement
• Third-party claims related to their tournaments

8. Platform Suspension and Termination

8.1 Suspension Criteria

ChessNam may suspend or terminate organizer accounts for:

• Failure to distribute promised prizes
• Refusing to process legitimate refunds
• Violation of platform terms and policies
• Fraudulent or misleading activities
• Excessive dispute or chargeback rates
• Legal or regulatory violations

8.2 Consequences of Termination

• Immediate suspension of tournament creation privileges
• Ongoing obligation to fulfill existing tournament commitments
• Continued liability for all outstanding obligations
• Potential reporting to relevant authorities for violations

9. Governing Law and Disputes

This Agreement is governed by the laws of the Republic of the Philippines. Any disputes arising from this Agreement shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of Philippine courts.

9.1 Dispute Resolution

• Good faith negotiation is encouraged for all disputes
• Mediation may be pursued before litigation
• Legal costs may be awarded to the prevailing party

10. Agreement Updates

ChessNam reserves the right to modify this Agreement to reflect changes in legal requirements, platform policies, or business practices. Material changes will be communicated to organizers with reasonable notice.

11. Contact Information

For questions about this Organizer Agreement or to report compliance issues, contact us through our Facebook page.

Last Updated: 10/5/2025