Time Control in Chess: Definition & Types
Time Control
Definition
A time control is the amount of thinking time each player is allotted to complete part or all of a chess game, as measured by a chess clock. When a player’s clock reaches zero, that player ordinarily loses on time, regardless of the position on the board (with a few technical exceptions such as insufficient mating material). Time controls can be expressed as a single number (e.g., “5 minutes”) or as a compound formula (e.g., “90 minutes for 40 moves, then 30 minutes to finish, with a 30-second increment per move”).
How Time�Controls Are Used
A chess clock has two separate timers, one for each player. When you press your side of the clock after making a move, your timer stops and your opponent’s starts. This mechanism guarantees that the sum of both players’ thinking time never exceeds the total scheduled for the game.
Common Types of Time Controls
- Classical: At least 60 minutes per player for the game. The FIDE World Championship currently uses 120 min/40 moves + 60 min/20 moves + 15 min for the rest, with 30 s increment from move 61.
- Rapid: More than 10 minutes and less than 60 minutes per player (e.g., 15 + 10).
- Blitz: 10 minutes or less per player (e.g., 3 + 2).
- Bullet: Typically 1 minute per player, with or without increment (e.g., 1 + 0 or 1 + 1).
- Armageddon: White gets more time (e.g., 5 minutes) but must win; Black receives draw odds with less time (e.g., 4 minutes).
- Increment (“Fischer”): Extra time is added after every move (e.g., +2 s).
- Delay (“Bronstein”): A pause before the clock starts counting down, usually 5 s or 10 s per move.
Strategic Significance
Time allocation is a fundamental part of chess strategy. Players must balance depth of calculation against the need to preserve time for later, typically critical, phases:
- Opening: Skilled preparation allows you to play early moves quickly, banking time.
- Middlegame: Complicated tactics often require a larger share of the clock.
- Endgame: Even “simple” positions need accuracy; entering the endgame with seconds left can turn a won game into a loss.
Historical Evolution
• 1861, London: Sand-glass timers first used.
• 1883, London: The double-balanced analog chess
clock invented by Thomas Bright Wilson.
• 1960s: Bobby Fischer popularizes increments, leading to
the modern “Fischer clock.”
• 1990s-2000s: Digital clocks make increments and delays
standard and allow complex multi-stage controls.
• 2020s: Online platforms bring bullet and hyper-bullet
(30 seconds per side) into the mainstream.
Examples in Famous Play
- Kasparov vs. Deep Blue, 1997: Classical 40/2 h, 20/1 h, G/30 m. Humans debated whether such long sessions favored machine endurance.
- Carlsen vs. Karjakin, World Championship 2016: Rapid tiebreak 25 + 10 decided the title after 12 classical draws.
- Fischer vs. Reshevsky, New York 1958: 40/2 h time control; Reshevsky lost on time on move 41, one move after the first control, in an equal position.
Interesting Facts & Anecdotes
- Before clocks, 19th-century players sometimes took hours on a single move; spectators threw coins at the board to speed things up!
- The fastest recorded over-the-board game under standard rules lasted 2 moves (the “Fool’s Mate”) and finished with 1 h 59 m 58 s still on both clocks.
- Magnus Carlsen’s peak blitz rating is over 2900 , showcasing the importance of mastering multiple time controls.
- Some national scholastic events use “sudden-death 5-second delay” so younger players learn to press the clock properly without pure flag races.
Practical Tips for Players
- Divide your time roughly into thirds: opening, middlegame, endgame—but stay flexible.
- Use your opponent’s time to plan responses; mentally update your evaluation after every move.
- When under a minute, simplify the position; fewer pieces mean fewer tactical pitfalls.
- Practice with various controls online (e.g., 5 + 5, 3 + 0, 15 + 10) to develop universal pacing skills.
Mini-Demonstration
The following 7-move miniature shows how a player can flag even in
a simple position because of poor clock handling: