Note: In the ff I assume everyone bids for black, not white.
In blitz (below 10min) :
I see often there's a 5min vs 4min predetermined time. No idea if this is fair, but let's pretend arguendo players would really bid around 3:45-4:15 eg in the 2019 WFRCC and in the 2022 St Louis Chess 9LX in the 2022 women's US Chess Championship, Jennifer Yu vs Irina Krush.
- The ratio of black's time to white's time is 80% = 4min / 5min.
In fast rapid (10min-32.5min) :
In the 2022 WFRCC and in the 2023 champions chess tour airthings masters, I notice they bid 9.3min for chess and 12.14min for chess960.
In chess960, the ratio is still about 80%. It's 81% = 12.14/15.
In chess, the ratio drops to 62% = 9.3/15.
In slow rapid (32.5min-strictly below 60min)
(Actually I know of only 1 case.)
2013 USCC Alejandro Ramirez vs Gata Kamsky - The bid is 19:45 vs 45min. Since there's a 5 second increment, this converts to 24:45 vs 50min.
- The ratio has now dropped to below 50%, i.e. below half.
Question: Ostensibly, you are willing to give up more time in higher time controls. I guess it makes sense intuitively, esp in the reverse way: You are more hesitant to give up time in lower time controls. But I'm not sure how to explain this precisely. Why are players willing to give up more time in higher time control instead of just that the ratio is maintained throughout any time control?
Or well maybe it doesn't have to do with armageddon specifically. Maybe in general a game where players have remaining time 3min vs 6min is really different from a game where the same players have remaining time 30min vs 60min?