TimeTrouble: Chess Time Pressure
Time Trouble
Definition
Time trouble—also called time pressure or, borrowing from German, “Zeitnot”—is the situation in which a player has so little time remaining on the tournament clock that even routine decisions become difficult. In classical events it usually refers to being under five minutes (sometimes two) before the next time control; in rapid and blitz it can mean only a few seconds left—often relied upon entirely on the increment.
How It Is Used in Chess Discourse
- Commentary: “Caruana is in severe time trouble—only 90 seconds to reach move 40.”
- Score sheets: Players mark a “++” or similar symbol when they stop recording moves because both sides are blitzing.
- Arbiter announcements: “After move 60 you will receive an additional 30 minutes; until then, manage your time to avoid time trouble.”
Strategic and Psychological Significance
Time trouble is both a practical and a psychological weapon. A player who handles the clock well can deliberately steer the game into complex positions, hoping the opponent will burn time and eventually collapse. Conversely, chronic “time-troublers” often adopt risk-averse openings (the London System, the Exchange Caro-Kann) so that their moves are easier to play quickly.
- Simplification: When the clock dwindles, defenders trade pieces to reduce calculation.
- Complication: Attackers may leave pieces en prise or set hidden traps— anything that forces the opponent to think.
- Pre-move Planning: With an increment, having a micro-plan ready allows a player to “live on the increment.”
Historical Moments Shaped by Time Trouble
• Kasparov – Karpov, World Ch. (Game 16), Moscow 1985:
Karpov, ahead in the match, panicked in Zeitnot and lost a drawn ending,
shifting the psychological momentum to Kasparov.
• Bronstein – Botvinnik, World Ch. 1951:
Bronstein’s chronic time pressure led to a hallucination in Game 22,
costing him the title.
• Topalov – Kramnik, WCh 2006 (Game 2):
Kramnik coolly survived a vicious attack while both clocks showed seconds,
illustrating elite composure under fire.
Illustrative Example
The following fragment from Karpov vs. Kasparov, 1985 (Game 16) shows how mutual time pressure can turn a quiet endgame into chaos. Both players had less than two minutes to reach move 40; Karpov faltered on his 38th move.
[[Pgn| 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Bg5 e6 7. f4 Be7 8. Qf3 Qc7 9. O-O-O Nbd7 10. g4 b5 11. Bxf6 Nxf6 12. g5 Nd7 13. f5 O-O 14. fxe6 fxe6 15. Qh3 Nc5 16. Rg1 b4 17. Nce2 Nxe4 18. Nxe6 Qa5 19. N2d4 Qxa2 20. Nb3 Rf2 21. Bd3 Bxe6 22. Qxe6+ Kh8 23. Qxe4 Bxg5+ 24. Rd2 Bxd2+ 25. Kxd2 Rxh2+ 26. Rg2 Rxg2+ 27. Qxg2 Rf8 28. Nd4 Qf7 29. Ne2 a5 30. Qe4 g6 31. Qd4+ Qf6 32. Qxf6+ Rxf6 33. Nd4 h5 34. Nc6 h4 35. Nxa5 h3 36. Be4 g5 37. Ke3 g4 38. Nb3 (??) g3 39. Nd4 g2 40. Nf3 Rxf3+ 0–1 |fen|8/5p1k/3p1r2/1p6/4P3/4KB1p/5P1P/8 b - - 0 37]]Common Symptoms of Time Trouble
- Nervous body language—rocking, pen clicking, or holding the head.
- Superficial moves: “hand plays first, brain apologises later.”
- Overlooked tactical shots and basic one-move blunders.
- Forgetting to press the clock (especially with analog clocks in historical events).
Interesting Facts & Anecdotes
• The term “Zeitnot” literally means “time need” in German.
• Former World Champion Tigran Petrosian almost never fell into
Zeitnot; he was nicknamed “Iron Tigran” for both his positional play and calm clock
management.
• David Bronstein, by contrast, was a brilliant calculator but notoriously
spent half an hour on move 7 and then survived on intuition for the rest of the game.
• Some modern digital clocks flash or beep in the last 10 seconds, but FIDE rules
ban sound alerts in official events, as they might disturb players.
• Bullet and hyper-bullet (1-minute or 30-second chess) can be considered
perpetual time trouble by design!
Practical Tips to Handle Time Trouble
- Chunk Your Thinking: Decide during the opponent’s move how you’ll respond to their three most likely replies.
- Default Moves: Have safe, “pass” moves (e.g., Kg1–h1, h2–h3) ready to play instantly if nothing else looks critical.
- Simplify Early: Exchange queens or enter endgames when possible if you know you’re a habitual time-trouble victim.
- Use the Increment: Practice blitz sessions where you “live on 5-second increment” to build nerves of steel.