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Privacy Policy

Last updated: 21 October 2026

This policy explains what personal data João Guilherme Matos collects when you visit this website, contact us, or book a chess coaching session — and how that data is used and protected.

1. Who we are

João Guilherme Matos is responsible for the personal data described in this policy. For data protection purposes, João Guilherme Matos acts as the data controller.

You can reach us at hello@joaoguilhermematos.com or by post at Aveiro, Portugal.

2. Data we collect

We only collect data that is necessary to run this website and provide our services. Depending on how you interact with us, this may include:

  • Contact details — your name, email address, phone number and any other details you include in a message or enquiry form.
  • Coaching and booking data — the sessions you book, your playing level and goals, and notes needed to prepare and deliver coaching.
  • Payment data — billing details and transaction records. Card payments are processed by our payment provider; we do not store full card numbers.
  • Communications — emails, messages and other correspondence with us.
  • Technical data — IP address, browser type, device information and basic server logs generated when you visit the site.
  • Content interactions — if you contact us through Twitch, YouTube or another platform, that platform processes your data under its own privacy policy.

3. How we use your data

We use personal data to:

  • respond to enquiries and provide information about coaching;
  • schedule, deliver and follow up on coaching sessions;
  • process bookings, payments and related administration;
  • send service updates and, where you have opted in, occasional news or content updates;
  • keep the website secure, diagnose technical issues and improve how it works;
  • comply with legal, tax and accounting obligations; and
  • establish, exercise or defend legal claims.

We do not sell your personal data, and we do not use it for automated decision-making that produces legal or similarly significant effects.

5. Cookies and local storage

This website does not use advertising or analytics cookies. It does store a small amount of information in your browser to remember your preferences:

  • Theme preference — saved in localStorage so the site remembers whether you chose the light or dark theme.
  • Intro flag — saved in sessionStorage so the opening animation is not shown repeatedly during the same browsing session.

These values stay on your device and are not sent to us. You can clear them at any time through your browser settings. Embedded content from third parties, such as YouTube or Twitch, may set its own cookies; please check the relevant platform's privacy policy.

6. Sharing your data

We share personal data only where necessary and with appropriate safeguards. Recipients may include:

  • hosting, email and IT service providers;
  • payment processors and financial institutions;
  • platforms used to deliver content or online sessions, such as Twitch, YouTube or video-call providers;
  • accountants, lawyers and other professional advisers;
  • public authorities, courts or regulators where required by law.

Some providers may process data outside the European Economic Area. Where that happens, we rely on an adequacy decision or standard contractual clauses approved by the European Commission.

7. How long we keep data

We keep personal data only for as long as needed for the purpose for which it was collected, including any period required by law. In practice:

  • enquiries that do not lead to a booking are usually deleted within 24 months;
  • coaching and booking records are kept for the duration of our relationship and a reasonable period afterwards;
  • invoices and financial records are kept for the period required by Portuguese tax and accounting law; and
  • server logs are kept for a short period for security and troubleshooting.

8. Your rights

Subject to applicable law, you have the right to:

  • access the personal data we hold about you;
  • ask us to correct inaccurate or incomplete data;
  • ask us to delete data that is no longer needed;
  • ask us to restrict or object to certain processing;
  • receive your data in a portable format;
  • withdraw consent where processing is based on consent; and
  • lodge a complaint with the Portuguese data protection authority, the Comissão Nacional de Proteção de Dados (CNPD).

To exercise a right, contact us at hello@joaoguilhermematos.com. We may need to confirm your identity before responding. You also have the right to complain to the CNPD or, in some cases, to a supervisory authority in your country of residence.

9. Security

We use reasonable technical and organisational measures to protect personal data against loss, misuse and unauthorised access. No method of transmission or storage is completely secure, so we cannot guarantee absolute security.

10. Children

This website is not directed at children under 13. Where coaching is arranged for a minor, we ask for the involvement and consent of a parent or legal guardian, and we collect only the data needed to provide the service.

11. Changes to this policy

We may update this policy from time to time to reflect changes in our services or the law. The revised version will be published on this page with a new “last updated” date. Where changes are significant, we will take reasonable steps to let you know.

12. Contact

Questions about this policy or how your data is handled? Email hello@joaoguilhermematos.com or write to Aveiro, Portugal.

You can also read our Terms of Use.