New clock coming to market - SilverBack Chess Clock from Chess Gorilla and Shelby Lohrman

Hey everyone, Shelby Lohrman from ChessGorilla here.  We have our new clock in production and it will be available for pre-order the end of next week (April 4th, 2025)

What we did is take make the best clock on the market.  Yes, I am biased, but when you compare it apples-to-apples with everything else on the market you will come to the same conclusion.

Here is the video on the clock:  https://youtu.be/R5AZTv3HU1Y?si=0nnjwFyDDqbuR-bL    Please ignore the marker on the clock, I needed to make sure everyone knew this clock was the final pre-production prototype. 

1)  We enlarged the displays 30% to add a text-based line.  This makes programming easy.  We also went with custom displays which are visible form super sharp angles.

2)  We added menus for the setting for USCF, Continental Chess, and the National Open.  Why mess with setting the clock when the pre-sets are in the global menu?

3)  We added a "TD Function".  This allows quick access to change times on the clock with ease.

4)  Our "Last Game" function is something no one else has on their clocks.  Talking with tournament directors at the large tournaments we found out that some people would have their clock "turn off" somehow when they were away from their board.  It usually was their opponent who was running out of time causing the problem.  We fixed this by adding a memory function that not only remember each player's time, this clock also remembers who's turn it is.

If chess is something you are serious about...you need serious equipment designed to take a beating and keep on producing!  Buy the Silverback Chess Clock!

We are air freighting 100 Black SilverBack Chess clocks in from the manufacturer.  The intro price is $99.95 for the first 100 clocks only.  We will get the rest in by sea freight about a month afterwards.  Pre-order the clock to lock in the one time discount price before its gone!  When the pre-order finishes the price goes back to $119.95

PRE-Orders will be shipped as soon as they hit our dock.  Approximate arrival date is 4/4/2025.

thanks,

Shelby Lohrman

The ORIGIONAL Chess Gorilla

Congrats on the new clock, it looks great per the video!

Thank you sir. I hope it works out great too!

Shelby

Here comes a new challenger!

Shelby!! So glad you're finally reaching your goal!

Is this the famed successor to the VTec clock? Any chance of us getting some nice paint/grain designs like there were on the previous ones, or did they not sell enough for those custom jobs?

A few questions: In order of must to "I'm smoking the good stuff":

1: Will this clock allow "mixed mode" time controls like the DGT 3000 does? Meaning: will "Delay" and "Increment" be possible for each time control period: example: 40/80 D10, + SD/30+Inc 30?
I think it's important to consider this because who knows what FIDE is actually planning on doing!

2: Will this clock allow infinitely repeating time controls? (yes I know no one uses this anymore but some people still may want to do this at home).

3: Will you be able to change the move counter after the game has started (Assuming definitely yes, but the Chronos GX Does NOT allow this, while the longbody does...I have no words for that).

4: Assuming you will be able to change seconds in hour long time controls, just like the previous clocks and longbody chronos.

5: Will Byo and Scrabble modes be included?

6: Last but not least: Will you be able to include a Freestyle/960 mode where the clock chooses randomly any of the 960 starting positions (mirrored) for the players? Freestyle chess is starting to become rather big.

(if any of these features sound good, please consider adding them before the clock ships?).

Congrats! I hope this does well on the market!

Thanks for the questions. Yes, this is the famed successor to the VTek300. Took that clock and made a bunch of improvements to it. Let me get to them one by one:

1: Will this clock allow "mixed mode" time controls like the DGT 3000 does? Meaning: will "Delay" and "Increment" be possible for each time control period: example: 40/80 D10, + SD/30+Inc 30?
I think it's important to consider this because who knows what FIDE is actually planning on doing!

With this...this is a change that can be made later if need be. I have a bunch of friends in tight with the FIDE clock and rules people and that idea is not up there yet. So, the answer to this one is no. Think about it though...Delay is almost only a North American thing. Everyone else uses Increment. There would be no reason to mix the 2.

2: Will this clock allow infinitely repeating time controls? (yes I know no one uses this anymore but some people still may want to do this at home).

No, We can do up to 3 controls on the clock. That is the most anyone uses at the moment. Why put something in there no one uses yet?

3: Will you be able to change the move counter after the game has started (Assuming definitely yes, but the Chronos GX Does NOT allow this, while the longbody does...I have no words for that).

Yes, you can change the move counter in the game through the "TD Mode" function.

4: Assuming you will be able to change seconds in hour long time controls, just like the previous clocks and longbody chronos.

Of course. "TD Mode" allows full control to change time, move counter, etc.

5: Will Byo and Scrabble modes be included? 

No, this is a chess clock. This is not included. The only reason Chronos has it is because it was originally a clock ONLY for Scrabble. We chess guys too it over.

6: Last but not least: Will you be able to include a Freestyle/960 mode where the clock chooses randomly any of the 960 starting positions (mirrored) for the players? Freestyle chess is starting to become rather big.

Nope, no 960 mode. I just did not see a use for it. This was made to be a tournament clock.

You did not ask it if did time odds. That is a common question many ask. That was added.

As for the special colors...they will come in time. I did not want to go too crazy until AFTER the first run of clocks. We will be doing metallics, "candy paint", blends, and a ton of other limited short runs as we order more clocks. Many will be limited edition.

Even thinking of doing "collabs" with some of the streamers/YouTubers in the future.

Shelby

Just so everyone knows...early adapters(purchasers) will get first shot at the short run clocks when they come out.

Trying to find a place that will silver or gold plate a limited run of clocks. Always thought a chess clock looking like that would be pretty boss.

Thanks

Shelby Lohrman

Thank you, Shelby!

Does the clock give the increment for move one under the US Chess and Custom modes like it does in the FIDE mode?

Where can we pre-order? Thanks.

Great to see the Silverback, Shelby.

What about a Stainless Steel version? It'll look like a Cybertruck sitting on the table. It already has the general shape going for it. Hah!

I wouldn't mind getting the shells and buttons in different colors and just change them out myself - given that the clock can be customized by the end user easily.

Based on one of the videos on the clock, it appears it doesn't. Since the players get the increment time for move one under US Chess rules, this is going to lead to players having the clock set wrong for time controls with increment since a lot of players aren't going to know to manually add the increment to the base time to get the increment for move one.

Micah, It does it both ways. It has both FIDE and USCF modes

Shelby

I am working on it. The clear coat over the Aluminum will be in the 2nd batch order if everything goes right.

Shelby

If you want different color buttons, just put the color you want in the comments of the order. I will do the best I can to get you that color. We have 15 different button colors in stock

Shelby

BigLew,

I saw no reason to. Also, with me not knowing what the programming needs to do, it would be a shot in the dark to get it done and I do not want to put out a product that does not come through for those who need it.

Shelby

But the problem is this. According to US Chess rules, the increment is applied for move one the same way it is under FIDE rules. Therefore, the clock should give the increment for move one in the US Chess mode like it does in the FIDE mode (and therefore I see no reason for it not to do the same in the custom mode as well with it being both the FIDE and US Chess rule).

There is a TD Tip in the US Chess rulebook (us-chess-rule-book-online-11-28-24.pdf) after rule 16B2 that clarifies that the increment is applied for move one under US Chess rules.

"TD TIP: Not all digital clocks correctly give the increment for move one when you set increment on the clock. For clocks that don't, the increment time in seconds should be added manually to the base time, if possible, so each player gets the increment for move one. For example, for G/3;inc2, each player gets 3.02 (three minutes and two seconds) to complete move one. If the clock only gives 3.00 for each player’s first move when the clock is set—with a base time of three minutes and increment of two seconds—then, if possible, two seconds should be added to each player’s base time when setting the clock. If a game is started without the increment applied for move one, it is recommended that the TD not allow the clock to be subsequently adjusted to add the increment for move one. This failure to adjust the clock initially should not be allowed as grounds to contest a later time forfeit claim."