A delay clock generally takes priority over a non-delay clock. But now that it is more standard, so to speak, to not deduct time when delay is in use, in a tournament where deducting time is announced, do players have the option to turn off the delay and not deduct any time?
If so, which takes priority if the players don’t agree… playing without delay, or deducting time and playing with? Does black get choice? Or does delay (and thus deducting time) win out regardless?
Delay wins, regardless. Either player who furnishes a delay clock (and knows how to set it and is on time for the round) has the right to insist on the delay.
Even if both players prefer not to have the delay, most TDs will still require the delay. In general, players do not have the right to change the announced (or default) time control, by agreement or otherwise.
Bill Smythe
As far as I know, it’s always been “more standard” to not deduct time. That’s how the current rule book describes it, at any rate.
Players don’t get a choice – the ORGANIZER chooses time delay or not (and everything else about time controls – that’s one of his jobs as organizer. The organizer has to specifically announce, in all pre-tournament announcements, if he’s choosing not to use time-delay in a sudden-death time control since use of time delay is standard in sudden-death.