I recently purchased a digital clock with delay features. Does the USCF prefer clocks with delays? Also, what is the recommended delay, 3 secs, 5 secs? I usually play with time controls of 40/2 SD 1 or 40/90 SD/30. Is the general idea of having delays to negate the effect of actually moving the pieces? What is the purpose?
Thanks in advance.
see the thread secure.uschess.org/forums/viewt … highlight= for discussion on this, with particular emphasis on Tim Just’s post.
We ought to try to keep duplicate questions to a minimum.
BTW: I see that Tim’s reply was to your’s in that thread. 
As for the purpose, time delay allows the game to not be decided solely on time.
The theory is that the delay should give a player ample time to defend a simplified drawn position or obtain a deserved win in a simple position. There are rules on “Insufficient Losing Chances” draw claims when in time trouble that only apply to non-time delay situations. The TD has to judge the merit of the claim in this cases by analyzing the position, which makes the result of the game depend on the skill of the TD or of the spectators used for opinions.
This can get into nightmare situations where the ruling was unfair. The TD can substitute for a delay clock when the claim is made (after subtracting some time from the claimant’s clock), so time delay takes the judging of the position out of the picture and makes the result depend more on the skill of the claimant to prove their claim right.
Five second delay at the time controls you posted.
Many thanks, chess warriors.