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

Pre-orders can be done on my ChessSet.com site. I do not think I can put a link here. Do not want to get in trouble with the nice guys at Chess.com.

but Pre-orders are live.

Shelby

Yea, I thought about it some more. I reckon it it doesn’t really matter much because your GC mid-tier clock the Tournament Pro does both Scrabble and Go overtime. And the GC-101, which I own and did a video review of last summer, does Scrabble. So you could sell those to Scrabble & GO players if they ever inquire of you.

Great. I found your site and the product page. I did not know there were 15 colors for those buttons. I thought there was only 5 including the standard black.

This.

https://www./products/silverback-chess-clock-by-chess-gorilla?variant=47369005924592

Embedding external links to pictures is the no-no.

Micah,

How would you know? You don't have one of the clocks. I do. When you put it in FIDE mode, it DOES add the increment to the first move.

Instead of making assumptions...you might just want to ask me before you go and put wrong thoughts out there.

Shelby

And the first 100 shipped from the factory yesterday. Should have them in about a week or so.

As for the next batch, I talked to the factory, and they are going to let me do the clear coat like we did on the VTek.

So, the 3rd wave will have a limited number of the clear coat aluminum clocks. I am thinking we do those in a limited print run.

Shelby

HI Shelby,

I looked at Micah's reply closely, and I don't feel he was disrespctful, but in fact seemed to be making a valid point.

US Chess rules have never "officially" stated (via announcement), in any tournament I've been to, that the clock has to add the increment to the starting base time. The CCA tournaments never directly stated this (although they seem to be using delay *once again*, because of one increment (+30) game extending almost 15 minutes into the starting time of the *next* round, forgot where this happened, but Randy Hough told me about it).

It looks like US Chess adjusting how the increment is initially set was a *very* recent addition to their rulebook. Pretty logical, since the DGT clocks do this automatically anyway.

Listen, I know Micah. He is an awesome guy. Very focused and super critical of new products.

I am not mad at him, I just wish he would have asked if the clock did this before making a statement that it did not do what he said. Making an assumption on a video is not the best way to do this.

Mom always told me "The only dumb question is the one you don't ask". I live by that. I would have hoped that Micah respected me enough to ask before making a statement like that.

You get where I am coming from?

This clock is my baby! As a "proud poppa", I get a little defensive...

Thanks

Shelby Lohrman

But my whole point here is what happens when you have it in US Chess mode? Does it give the increment for the first move like it should?

Shelby, don't get me wrong, you've done a lot of great things for the chess community. The VTEK300 is the clock I've used exclusively for a while now when I play in tournaments (except when I am playing White and my opponent insists on using their clock).

Getting the increment for the first move has been the US Chess rule for a long rime now. This was simply clarified in the rulebook via the TD Tip (which I helped write) a few years ago. For example, US Chess rules consider G/90;inc30 and G/120;d0 to be equivalent in terms of the "total playing time" each player gets if the game lasts 60 moves. However, they are only equivalent if the increment is added for the first move in G/90;inc30.

What's the skinny on the tariffs? They were going to first ship a couple of weeks ago but must have been delayed. Does that put the clocks in the tariff collection period? That high rate (145%) would put the clocks out of reach for retail. Just wondering.

Mike,

We are working through that right now. For the first batch, it was shipped when we were only at 45%. That I can work with. As for the 145%, I will probably have them hold the order till the tariffs get negotiated.

I hope everyone realizes that these tariffs will severely affect the chess industry. Base pieces and boards will probably go up 50% in price with the good vendors and the others will bump them up 100%.

I know for us, I would rather take a small hit on the profits than lose a customer to someone else. Some will not be able to take that chance though. Thank gawd I have TONS of inventory in stock right now at the pre-tariff prices.

Shelby

Thanks

Shelby

If you are out of country, here is the link for the Ebay listing: SilverBack Chess Clock by Chess Gorilla - IN STOCK NOW | eBay

Thanks

Shelby Lohrman