ChessWhen you play casually with a friend, you can think as long as you like. But tournaments and online games always have a time limit, and that's what the chess clock is for. The time control sets the rhythm of a game: one minute per game and two hours per game are almost two different games. This article explains how the clock works and how the different time controls are classified. To get a feel for playing on the clock first, try online chess.
How a chess clock works
A chess clock is really two clocks joined together, one for each player. When it's your move, your clock is running. Once you've moved, you press the button on your side, your clock stops, and your opponent's clock starts.
- Each player only uses up their own thinking time. However long your opponent thinks, it doesn't cost you anything.
- The player who runs out of time usually loses. This is called losing on time (or flagging).
- In official events, you press the clock with the same hand you moved with.
Before chess clocks, a single move could take hours while the opponent just had to wait. From the mid-to-late 19th century, tournaments began using sand timers, and later two linked mechanical clocks, the forerunner of today's chess clock.
What "3+2" means
In online play you often see things like "3+2" or "10+5":
- The first number is how many minutes each player starts with, here 3 minutes.
- The second number is how many seconds get added automatically after every move, here 2 seconds.
The per-move increment was Fischer's idea. He patented a clock that did this in 1988, so it's also called the "Fischer increment". The benefit: as long as you move fast enough, you won't lose on time in a position you've already won just because you ran out of seconds before delivering mate.
Bullet, blitz, rapid and classical
The shorter the time, the faster the game. The usual divisions look roughly like this:
| Type | Rough time per player | Common settings | What it's like |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bullet | Under 3 minutes | 1+0, 2+1 | Almost all instinct and hand speed |
| Blitz | 3–10 minutes | 3+2, 5+3 | The most popular online, you can calculate two or three moves |
| Rapid | 10–60 minutes | 10+5, 15+10 | Time to think properly, good for practice |
| Classical | Over 60 minutes | 90+30 | Used in official events and the world championship |
FIDE's official classification is: 10 minutes or less per player is blitz, 10 to 60 minutes is rapid, and more than 60 minutes is classical. With an increment, you also count "the increment over 60 moves". Bullet isn't an official competition category; the name only came about once online play took off.
Most online platforms include the increment too, for example estimating a game's length as "base time + the increment over 40 moves", and then deciding which category it belongs to. This site's Play online mode divides them the same way: 1+0 is bullet, 3+2 and 5+3 are blitz, and 10+5 and 15+10 are rapid.
How much time the world championship uses
World championship matches are classical. Recent settings are roughly: 120 minutes per player for the first 40 moves, then another 30 minutes, with 30 seconds added per move from move 41 on. A single game often lasts five or six hours.
If the classical games end level, the match is decided by rapid and blitz games. In 2023, Ding Liren won the title in the rapid tiebreaks after the classical games were tied.
Do you always lose on time?
Most of the time, yes, but there's one important exception: if you run out of time but your opponent's remaining pieces can't possibly checkmate you, for example when your opponent has only a king left, the game is a draw, not a loss.
| Situation | Result |
|---|---|
| You run out of time, your opponent still has pieces that can mate you | You lose |
| You run out of time, your opponent has only a king and can't mate you no matter what | Draw |
FIDE's competition rules and this site's online play both follow this rule.
There's also a tiebreak called "Armageddon": White gets more time, but Black wins with just a draw, so there's always a decisive result.
What to do in time trouble
- Play openings you know: The less time you spend in the opening, the more relaxed your middlegame and endgame. Knowing the basic moves of a few openings helps a lot.
- Don't spend too long on one move: If you really can't find anything, pick a safe move that doesn't lose a piece.
- With very little time left, aim not to blunder: Simple positions are easier to play than complicated ones, and trading a few pieces makes the position simpler.
- Watch the increment: With an increment, moving a bit faster actually banks time.
Frequently asked questions
How many minutes should beginners play?
Start with rapid games of 10 minutes or more, like 10+5 or 15+10. With enough time, you can practice thinking and double-checking. Once the moves come naturally, shorten the time bit by bit.
Does losing on time cost rating points?
Yes. Losing on time counts as a loss, the same as getting checkmated, and your rating goes down just the same. So the clock is part of your strength too.
Do I need a clock when playing the computer?
No. Games against the computer have no time limit, so you can think as long as you like. The clock is only used when you play real people online.
Give it a try
First play chess for free against the computer with no clock for a few games. Once you're comfortable, go to Play online, pick a time control and take on real people.