Here we go I just want this discussed: Online the assumed length of the game is 40 moves. USCF has declared that it is 60 moves. This makes a difference, 5 10 for example is quick, it is not 5 10 is really blitz on line.
Quick starts at 11, so 5 10 adds up to 15 and is quick. For that matter 5 6 adds up to 11 and is quick. If you want to switch to a 40-move base then 5 9 would add up to 11 and still be quick (40/60 is 2/3 and 2/3 of 9 is 6).
FIDE’s Rapid has a different definition.
I don’t understand what you mean by “Online”.
Alex Relyea
Even if we assume 40 moves in a typical game, 5 x 60 + 10 x 40 = 700 seconds or 11 2/3 minutes, which is in the range for quick chess as it is more than 10 minutes.
U.S. Chess has specific standards for its tournaments. If mm+ss is 30 or more, the event is regular-rated. mm is main time (for the first control) in minutes, ss is the increment time in seconds.
If mm+ss is 11 or more, but less than 30, the event is quick-rated. If less than 11, it is blitz-rated.
Different online providers may have different standards for their events. For example, if an event is both ICC-rated and U.S. Chess rated, it is possible that it might be regular-rated under one system and quick-rated under the other.
The only purpose of the 60-move convention is to explain why minutes and seconds are added together. Since there are 60 seconds in a minute, one minute of main time (for 60 moves) is roughly equivalent to one second of increment (per move), or so the theory goes. Otherwise, the difference between 60 and 40 means nothing.
Bill Smythe