I am looking for an inexpensive chess clock that is both usc and fide approved have looked on amazon and found a couple from a place calledwholesale chess. Is it a good company etc. Thank you David a lacombe
Many of us feel that the Chronos is the best clock, and the DGT North American is the best affordable clock.
Personally, I do not like the Saitek models or the Excalibur Game Time, because of noisy and clunky buttons.
Whatever you get, make sure it is capable of both increment (cumuative addback) and delay (non-cumulative addback). Both of these features go by various names. Increment is sometimes called “bonus” or “Fischer”. Delay is sometimes called “grace time” or “Bronstein”.
Also make sure your clock is capable of multiple time controls (like 40/60 SD/30), with either increment or delay.
Unfortunately, almost all the brands come in several different models, not all of which have all the features a chess clock should have. Even the DGT brand has at least one model that is not suitable for tournament play at all. One version of the Saitek has delay but not increment, and the same goes for older (used) versions of the Excalibur.
I’ll leave it to others to comment on some of the newer brands, like VTech and Zmart.
There are gazillions of details (both good and bad) that could be added about many of these clocks, but I’ll save those for another post, or another poster.
Bill Smythe
Also check out the Zmart II, or Zmart Pro. The former seems to be the clock of choice for schools (at least high schools in Illinois) – affordable, durable, does delay and increment.
These Zmart clocks have an interesting method of displaying delay.
During the delay period (5 seconds or whatever), the display flashes, every half-second, between the main time and the delay time. For example, if the remaining main time is 1:23:45, and the delay is 5 seconds, then at the beginning of the move (for the first ten half-seconds), you will see:
1:23:45
5
1:23:45
4
1:23:45
3
1:23:45
2
1:23:45
1
1:23:45
and, thereafter, every second:
1:23:45
1:23:44
1:23:43
I find this flashing display, during the delay period, to be cute. Some players find it annoying.
This Zmart method, at least, is way better than the Saitek, which displays only the delay, until it counts down to zero, and only then displays the main time. Can you imagine using the Saitek with a 30-second delay? You wouldn’t see the main time at all, for the first 30 seconds of each move.
By the way, the Zmart uses LEDs rather than the more common LCDs. The LEDs come in three colors: red, blue, and green. I like the green best. The blue is way too bright and annoying.
Bill Smythe
The “Leap” clock is both USCF & FIDE approved. The clock does both delay and increment, and is rather easy to set. However, you should know that the clock does only 1 time control [like some of the older other clocks] and would require resetting if 2 or more time controls are used. I bought some from Wholesale chess via Amazon as well as some from the manufacturing in China via Amazon. If possible it is always best to contact the seller directly in order to make certain that what you are buying will do everything you want it to do. I do not recall ever hearing anything bad about Wholesalecess.com, but I am only 1 person.
Larry S. Cohen
DGT North American, hands down. $50, proven, and handles all time controls.
Pro is $100 and seems like a direct rip off of the Chronos…makes me suspicious. Anyone with a ZMF-II should be slapped, it’s a favorite of street hustlers b/c no one can actually see the colored numbers against the black background, especially in the sun.
But who plays tournament chess outdoors in the bright sun? I’ve seen them in tournament rooms with normal indoor lighting, and they seem fine. (Disclosure: I’m not absolutely sure they were II’s, they might have been Pro’s.)
For the most part I agree, but the DGT North American has one drawback: In delay mode, it displays delay only by flashing the word “delay”, rather than by counting down digitally. That’s not so bad if the delay is 5 seconds, but some events nowadays are starting to use a 10-second delay. What if the delay were 30 seconds? I would think you’d want a digital countdown then.
Bill Smythe
I think the DGT North American is too noisy. The button/rocker bar makes a clunky noise. I asked the TD at my last tournament if I could use my silent touch-sensitive Chronos instead of the tournament-supplied DGTNA. Being a reasonable TD, he agreed, once he knew my reason. My opponent didn’t care.
I wonder if Mr. Price would have allowed the switch in the same situation?
I’d say it’s the second-quietest clock on the market, second only to the touch-sensitive version of the Chronos you mention. How much “clunk” it makes depends only on how hard the player presses it. It’s certainly quieter than the Saitek and Excalibur.
Bill Smythe
Over the years I’ve owned three Saiteks, a Dgt N. American, Chronos GS with touch sensor and a Dgt 3000. My two favorites are the Chronos and the Dgt 3000. I like the Chronos for club play because controls can be changed quickly and to start a new game you don’t have to turn the unit off. For long tournament games I prefer the Dgt. It’s clear, provides a lot of information, has many presets that are easy to access and it has 5 user presets. While I haven’t compared the N. American to the 3000 for lever noise side by side, my recollection is that the N. American is, for some reason, louder. Perhaps it has to do with the size and shape of the NA amplifying the sound?
Still, all the brands mentioned are quieter than an INSA or other mechanical clocks.
It’s VTEK and I think this is the best clock on the market.
You can also set it so it only shows the delay countdown or doesn’t show the delay countdown at all during the delay period.
I don’t remember off hand all the colors it comes in but it comes in more than just those three colors. Also, some people find the green to be distracting (although not as distracting as the blue).
Some of the Leap clocks, such as the Leap PQ9912/Wholesale Chess Advanced (these are essentially the same clock but sold under different names), do multiple time controls.
And for this reason alone I don’t recommend the DGT NA. The Omcor GT960 is essentially a better version of the DGT NA. It shows the delay countdown in digits, supports the bronstein form of delay, shows seconds at all times under most settings, and the lever isn’t as noisy. Unfortunately, it’s no longer widely available in the US.
The best clock was not the question, but rather a good low cost clock that was both USCF and FIDE capable and approved! So, talking about a $50 or $100 clock does not address the true topic of this thread. The basic chess timer available on Amazon is a LEAP clock selling for under $20, which you can get from Wholesalechess or directly from the manufacturer [look further down in the Amazon listings]. I have done both via Amazon, and those clocks only do 1 time control [I do like the little cloth bag that the manufacturer sends with the clock]. Next lowest digital clock listed on Amazon is (what I think of as) the Advanced Digital Game Timers [not the black GamerTimer clock with the round clunky buttons!] for $30. Then you have the blue DGT clock that many are familiar with [and find to be a good clock] for $40. The ZMF-II is a $45 clock on Amazon, and I know from personal experience that if you don’t know to be careful that it is easy to reset the clock by mistake. Again please remember the question was of a good low cost clock, and also about the reputation of Wholesale Chess [which I have never heard bad things about]. Stop talking about the higher end clocks, and stay on topic.
Larry S. Cohen
Aw, come on, Larry, let the topic drift just a little. There’s a lot of good information coming in here – like Micah’s tidbit about being able to set the delay on the ZMF to display either the way a Saitek does it (on one extreme) or the way a DGT NA does it (on the other extreme) or its cute default way (between the extremes).
Still, your price list could be helpful, too, so thanks.
Bill Smythe
The organizer has the absolute prerogative to provide standard equipment, and hypersensitivity to an industry standard clock press mechanism is not a persuasive reason for an exception.
No.
While the organizer may provide standard equipment, that right is not absolute. In most cases an industry standard clock mechanism would be, as he points out, reasonable. If, for example, the player had neurological issue or other infirmity that made pushing a “tough button” unacceptable, it would be a persuasive reason for an exception - as a disability.
So if both players agreed to use a Chronos instead of the clock that you provided, you would’t allow it? We’re not talking about using some goofy chess set, changing the rules of the game, or swapping in an analog clock. I think you’ve lost focus that a tournament should be for the enjoyment of the players, not for the organizer/td to show how much power he has.
+1 However, there is something to be said for having unmovable standards for one’s tournaments; there is no chance of favoritism and the regular players know what to expect. Except, of course, players new to your tournaments DON’T know what to expect if you don’t announce in advance such restrictions. Whether the rules permit it or not, it’s wise to let the players know.
Just because you have the right to do something does not mean you should.
Well, if I was running a tournament with a clock maker sponsor providing the clocks, you can be pretty sure I would not be willing to allow players to use a different clock.
And not all clocks implement the time control rules exactly the same way, as numerous threads have discussed at length. This could also enter into a TD or organizer’s decision to require that the provided clocks be used.
There could be many other good reasons why the organizer-provided clocks should be used.
If you have a clock maker providing the clocks, it makes perfect sense to require their use. There may be other good reasons as well. However, I’m in charge so you will bow to my personal preferences is not one of them.