Why timer in chess

Just imagine that you and your opponent are making the move while both of you have one hand just above the clock. If that was allowed then just imagine how messy the game would look! It would be difficult to see which player made which move. Normally, when players make a move and use only that hand to hit the clock then, first of all, it overcomes many issues that we discussed above, and secondly, the game looks very organized.

So even when players are making the moves rapidly everything goes on well. But for tournaments, it is good to know all the required rules. Hope you enjoyed reading this article. Please do share if this article helped you.

And you can also check my article on the best chess clocks apps. I know the actual problems that chess players face. I created this site to make chess easy to understand for newcomers, and also to help players of all levels of ability to improve their chess-playing skills.

Read more about me here. This means that each person has 2 minutes to make their moves and on each move they make 12 seconds is added to the time they have remaining on the clock. Increments can also be used for longer games. Don't forget to check whether your opponent has lost on time. It is the responsibility of the player to point out that his opponent has lost on time. Press the clock with the same hand with which you have moved the piece.

It is against the rules to keep a finger on the button or to hover over it. You must not pick up the clock or punch it forcibly.

This can lead to you forfeiting the game. Chess Corner. The Chess Clock If you are going to take part in competitive chess it is likely that you will use a chess clock to time your games.

An analogue clock A digital clock pictures copyright T. Gavriel When a person makes a move he stops his clock and thus starts his opponents clock. Rates of Play There are various rates of play in use. The following indicates the different options available: Blitz has typical time limits of 5 minutes for each player for all of the moves. Most people favor it to their right. The player with black pieces gets preference on which side of the chessboard to place the timer.

If both players bring a chess clock, the digital style is automatically preferred, or you can agree to use either. Here's one of the most common questions in timed chess games. What happens if you play checkmate at the same time your flag falls time expires? If checkmate is on the board before your opponent verbally claims "flag", you still win!

If your time is called before you've made the move you've lost the game, regardless if your next move could be checkmate. Don't need to claim your own time expiration. It's up to the opposing player to call it! Never call flag on a game that's not your own! It's a hugely embarrassing act you'd never repeat. Great players try to play the clock to their advantage by playing obvious moves memorized openings more quickly, thereby maximizing time for stages of the game that may call for deeper evaluation.

Both players have the same time to start. Will you make quick moves in the opening to accumulate extra time? Will you spend extra time in the opening to try to gain an advantage on the board early on and hope that you can play the advantage quickly to a win later on? Balancing and monitoring your time closely is crucial. Learning opening moves helps to not only spot advantages you can gain early in the game but it can help you avoid using up time that you'll need later on.

If you can make your opponent think in the opening, you can try to achieve a time imbalance in your favor. This can have psychological benefits too throughout the rest of the game. Think on opponent's time and plan a few moves ahead. When you're opponent is running short on time, he will be thinking hard on YOUR time. If you have a time advantage and your opponent is moving quickly, don't fall into the trap of also moving quickly when you don't need to.

Instead use this time to plan a few moves ahead and reply quickly a couple times, forcing your opponent to have to think on his own time or face making a mistake. Run out of time? Never call your own flag! If you can manage to stalemate, checkmate, or capture all of your opponent's pieces before your flag is noticed, you achieve a draw! Get your timer and play with more confidence! If you have additional questions, our team at Chess House will be glad to answer those by email.

Shop for a chess clock here for your personal, club, or event needs or click on the menus above to view timers available for sale online at Chess House. How to Operate a Chess Clock. How the chess clock works Many chess clock manufacturers don't include instructions with their clocks. Now, how do you operate this chess clock? Besides the two dials or time displays, a pair of play buttons are easy to reach atop the clock.

Setting the chess clock Both digital and analog clocks are readily available. Chess clocks in tournament play Chess tournaments would be impossible without chess clocks.