54 votes
Accepted

Why is flagging considered a win?

I feel like you somewhat misunderstand the concept of a time control. The clock is a part of the game. If you are up a piece in a complicated position with five seconds left on the clock that may well ...
koedem's user avatar
  • 3,401
45 votes
Accepted

How do I handle drawn positions in zero time increment games?

K+R vs. K+R is a draw, but K+R+10 sec vs. K+R+20 sec is not a draw. Your opponent won because they had an advantage brought on by having better time management. Nothing to complain about -- time is an ...
John Coleman's user avatar
  • 2,491
30 votes
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Players who play fast in longer time control games

As I commented, there are several reasons why people play fast, among them: One of the reasons I often see is fear of time trouble. Many amateurs are not really aware of whether the time they have ...
David's user avatar
  • 16.3k
25 votes

Why is flagging considered a win?

Let's look at the title question from the perspective of engine chess, which is more objective in the sense that you can get two engines to play tens of thousands of games against each other at ...
Allure's user avatar
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25 votes
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What do these game durations mean?

For example 3|2 means each player starts with 3 minutes and gets 2 seconds added to the clock for making a move (this is called an "increment"). When there is no "|", you do not ...
B.Swan's user avatar
  • 3,469
25 votes
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Should I calculate on my opponent's time or on my time?

Of course there are times when it is correct to calculate on your opponent's time and times when it is not. What you need is some guidelines because sometimes it is even correct not to calculate on ...
Brian Towers's user avatar
  • 94.5k
24 votes

Why are such complicated time controls popular?

Why are such complicated time controls popular? ... For instance, in the 2021 WCC First point, such time controls are neither popular nor unpopular with the vast majority of chess players for the ...
Brian Towers's user avatar
  • 94.5k
22 votes
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How is time measured when a player is late?

Play starts when the arbiter announces the start of play, usually by saying "Start white's clock". A good arbiter will then walk round the tournament room making sure that all clocks have ...
Brian Towers's user avatar
  • 94.5k
20 votes

Why is flagging considered a win?

Because not having it would result in some perverse incentives. In particular, in any game where a draw is an acceptable outcome, the optimal strategy without flag drops being losses would be to never ...
user3482749's user avatar
20 votes

Is there an engine evaluation technique that factors in 'time'?

Is there any established system for evaluating positions taking into account time for both players? No, there isn't. This is for two main reasons: There is no objective measure for how time affects ...
Brian Towers's user avatar
  • 94.5k
18 votes

Players who play fast in longer time control games

I see it all the time on the net It also happens a lot over the board. There are two main reasons players play the moves very fast when they have a lot of time: They are in their preparation and ...
Brian Towers's user avatar
  • 94.5k
16 votes
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Why is it allowed to request an increment in time trouble?

but that will not affect the game due to his/her hopeless position Well, if your opponent has a hopeless position, they would be better off accepting the 'automatic' draw offer which is implied ...
Glorfindel's user avatar
  • 24.8k
16 votes

What is the point of time increments?

It depends on what you mean by "increments". If you are referring to something like "playing a game in 10m + 4s", then the main reason is preventing that a player with a huge ...
emdio's user avatar
  • 2,114
14 votes

How is time measured when a player is late?

It depends. There are two likely sets of rules: FIDE (which governs international events) and USCF (which governs United States events.) These rules differ slightly. Under FIDE rules, the default time ...
D M's user avatar
  • 18.4k
14 votes

How do I handle drawn positions in zero time increment games?

If you are sure not to make it over 50 moves for a draw, another option not yet mentioned is to try to trick your opponent. Likely they will also premove. For example if in a R+K vs R+K you are both ...
quid's user avatar
  • 563
13 votes

Players who play fast in longer time control games

I think the biggest reason is that using your time efficiently is an acquired skill just as learning tactics is. When you are not as strong, you do not know as much, and thus, you do not have as much ...
PhishMaster's user avatar
  • 32.4k
13 votes

Why is flagging considered a win?

Since you specifically asked for historical reasons: Think about your two proposed criteria in the context of the year 1800 or 1900. Using engine evaluation is obviously out of the question. So is &...
Annatar's user avatar
  • 5,918
12 votes
Accepted

Are there statistics on the results of armageddon games at the GM level?

The earliest Armageddon games I can find go back to the Women's World Chess Championship 2001, and the FIDE World Championship in 2002, which GM Ruslan Ponomariov won. This is probably a fairly ...
PhishMaster's user avatar
  • 32.4k
11 votes
Accepted

Play online live game against a friend with time odds

On Lichess there is a button that allows you to give 15 seconds to your opponent. You could use it to just give a bunch of extra minutes to your friend at the start of a game.
BlindKungFuMaster's user avatar
11 votes

Players who play fast in longer time control games

It's also a possible strategy to play with the opponent's mind by playing quick and ideal (or unexpected) moves, though it can be very risky and backfire. Depending on how mentally strong a player is,...
Andrew T.'s user avatar
  • 238
11 votes
Accepted

Does your rating express the quality of your play regardless of time control?

The way ratings are mathematically defined, they don't express the absolute strength of players, but only the strength of players in a pool relative to each other. So there is no meaning in trying to ...
user1583209's user avatar
  • 20.7k
11 votes
Accepted

Why does this game not end as a draw by insufficient material?

Why this game does not end immediately as a draw by insufficient material? Two reasons. There is no rule regarding ‘insufficient material’. What there is is a draw due to a ‘dead position’. This is ...
Brian Towers's user avatar
  • 94.5k
10 votes
Accepted

What's the best time control to play online in order to improve?

This question will receive more opinionated answers regarding the time control, I will answer in perspective of an advanced beginner Chess player. Since you have said you are a beginner and never ...
m4n0's user avatar
  • 588
10 votes

Is there a site where I can play 30 seconds games?

Not only does lichess.org has the option to berserk in 1m bullet-games, but after a recent update you are able to to start a 30sec game. You will learn nothing though.
mathiasxx94's user avatar
10 votes
Accepted

Historic time controls for World Championships

I have spent far too much time on this as is, but here we go. Time control phase X/Y means X moves in Y minutes for each player, + means increment per moves (in seconds). Steinitz's era An ...
Remellion's user avatar
  • 4,990
10 votes

Why are such complicated time controls popular?

Part of it will be tradition. Note that for the example that you give, adding a time per move is only one done after move 60. Traditionally, it was not done at all for a very simple reason: It would ...
Carsten S's user avatar
  • 200
9 votes

Why is flagging considered a win?

Except for exceptional circumstances, only three results are considered valid for a chess game (and the corresponding rating change): win, draw or loss. Your suggestion would come with a huge problem: ...
David's user avatar
  • 16.3k
9 votes
Accepted

Strategies for focusing on longer time controls

IMO, you're forgetting something. In blitz (and partially in bullet games), you have fewer time, but your opponent as well. Depending on the level of your adversary (and your own level of course) it ...
IT M's user avatar
  • 520
8 votes

Time control notation explained?

These additional points elaborate on what ETD said in his reply. A Swiss Tournament is one in which you are matched against opponents so that the pool of players is differentiated as much as possible ...
jaxter's user avatar
  • 3,347
8 votes
Accepted

What is the time control for FIDE chess tournaments?

The clocks would start at 90 minutes, with 30 seconds added per move, starting at move one. When move 40 (not 20 - we're counting full moves, not half moves) is completed, 30 minutes would be added (...
D M's user avatar
  • 18.4k

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