Fischer or Bronstein?

Running Chess Tournaments
1

A recent topic on increment time controls had me wondering…Bronstein and Fischer: Which is delay, and which is increment?

The 5th Edition rulebook states on pg 9-10 “…add-back or Bronstein mode clocks typically add the delay time at the end of the move…”

And yet, Britannica online states, “Fischer…patented a chess clock…that added an increment of time after a player completed a move and hit the button…” See http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/208434/Fischer-clock#tab=active~checked%2Citems~checked&title=Fischer%20clock%20–%20Britannica%20Online%20Encyclopedia

So which one is delay (ie countdown before your time starts ticking) and which one is increment (ie add time when you’ve completed your move)?

2

Bronstein is delay. Fischer is increment.

The essential difference is not whether the time is added before or after the move. Rather, it is whether the full amount is added each move (increment), or whether the full amount or time actually used, whichever is less, is added (delay).

With a 5-second delay, if you use only 2 seconds to make your move, you don’t get to keep the remaining 3 seconds. With a 5-second increment, you do. So with increment, your remaining time can actually increase with each move.

A 5-second delay fits in well with fast time controls, such as game/60. An increment (usually 30 seconds) is more suited for longer controls. For example, a tournament formerly played at game/120 may nowadays be played instead at game/90 with a 30-second increment.

Bill Smythe