Time Controls

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nardis

Can someone please explain to me how the notation for time controls works?  I'm going to my first local chess club meeting soon and I'd like to be knowledgable.  Thanks.

Loomis

Time controls are written as (number of moves)/(time) and if "G" is used for number of moves it means the rest of the Game. Here are some examples:

G/90 -- Each players has 90 minutes to make all their moves 

G/2 -- Each player has 2 hours to make all their moves

40/2 G/60 -- Each player has 2 hours to make their first 40 moves and then an additional 60 minutes to make their remaining moves (the 60 minutes is added on to any leftover time from the first 40 moves).

30/90 20/30 -- Each player has 90 minutes for their first 30 moves and 30 minutes additional for every 20 moves after that (30 minutes is added to any remaining time at the completion of moves 30, 50, 70, etc.)

30/90 SD/1 -- SD means the same as G, it stands for Sudden Death. Each player has 90 minuts to make 30 moves and then an additional 1 hour to finish the game.

G/5 -- Each player has 5 minutes to make all his moves

 

Some time controls have either increment or delay. An increment is added to your time at the end of each move. For example, the time control G/90+30 means you start with 90 minutes and your time increases 30 seconds each time you move, this is all the time you get for the game. For delay, your clock does not begin to run as soon as it is your move, instead it begins to run some amount of time after your move starts. A 5 second delay is typical. It's not generally written in the time control and usually the first time control is decreased by 5 minutes to compensate for the extra length (since often in tournaments not all clocks will have the delay feature and some games will use it while others won't). 


SnatchPato

No one has thanked you for this Loomis, but on behalf of 7 years worth of information - Thank you!

kakaburra

Wow that is super helpful. Thank you!

MrKornKid

Cool.

thechessatic

Thanks a ton Loomis. I'm going to my first tournament in a few weeks, and it's important not to be in the dark.

Korchnoi5-5

thanks Man!  

isabela14

Now, that is what I call  a real chess info. Trolls will now start to dispute and distort this info for the lock. happy.png

Ageiswisdom

40/2 G/60.??, three hours to play a game of Chess..really.

thechessatic

Some people can't play fast, or just take forever to move.

baloma
Ageiswisdom wrote:

40/2 G/60.??, three hours to play a game of Chess..really.

 

That is actually a pretty normal time control for high level tournaments. And even with that, it is common for players to be in time trouble.

omnipaul
Ageiswisdom wrote:

40/2 G/60.??, three hours to play a game of Chess..really.

Remember, that is per player, not total.  So... 6 hours per round.  There's a reason some tournaments have 3- or even 4-day options.

 

Looking at an ad on the back of the Chess Life magazine I just got today and is sitting on my desk:

7 rounds, 40/100 SD/30 d10 (40 moves in 100 minutes, then finish the game with an additional 30 minutes with a 10 second delay) has a 4-day option.  Rounds: Fri. 7p, Sat 11a & 5p, Sun 11a &5p, Mon 10a & 3:15p.  The 3-day option has rounds 1-2 being only g/60 and merges with the 4-day option at round 3.

t_taylor

I have a question. I am thinking of going to a tournament that is 5 rounds 40/100 SD/30 d10. My question is does the delay begin from move 1 (the whole game)? or just in SD (sudden death)?

CalebChessGeek

Question. I am in a tourney with G/70;d10 Is that 70 mins for all moves and 10 second delay? And is that person, like each player has 70 mins, or a total of 70 mins, 35 per side?

t_taylor

each player would have 70 min.

t_taylor

Not all kids blitz out their moves.  I played a G/75, d5 tournament and my 2nd round opponent actually lost on tiime, and she was 9 or 10.

CalebChessGeek

Lol @CoffeeAnd420

 

Thanks! I’ll be practicing 70 min matches then!

CalebChessGeek

What does the d10 mean though?

CalebChessGeek

I’m new to Tournaments, this being my second, it’s on March 31st tho so no rush

Belwuga

lol