I believe it is not possible to do so. Or, at least, I’ve tried setting the move counter off to see if the clock could be made to work that way, and it didn’t.
You can’t set it to “ignore” move count, as far as I know—but it does not matter in practice. If you set Counter to Off, the time for the secondary control will be added after all the time expires for the first control—NOT at move 40 (or whatever).
If the control is 40/120, SD/60 and the Game Time II Counter is set to Off, you could play 100 moves in the first two hours for each player and the display would not add any time until the primary control expires. Test it for yourself.
A bonus to disabling the move counter on the Game Time is getting rid of the silly First function, that can throw off the move count by half a move, if the ‘wrong’ side of the clock is started first. A down side to disabling the move counter is the annoying flashing red light and flag when the first player’s primary time runs out.
The Game Time is a decent clock and good value for the dollar—but I hope you get back your Chronos. That is still the best digital clock—once you spend the money (price premium) and spend quality time with the manual.
Ken,
I think we went through this drill before. Check the archives.
The archived post seems to have been left with a difference of opinion. So I played with the clock and found that with move counter off the SD time is added after the primary time is used up regardless of the number of moves, it shows a flag (but no blinking light) but the flag goes away when the other player uses up primary time and the second players flag never shows.
So, here’s what I did. I went to one of the user defined modes, set the primary time to 10 seconds with move count 0, second time to 20 seconds with move count 1 with GAME END on with time periods = 1. This is Japanese byo-yomi for go and the clock says GO. Sudden death times set to 0. This setting works exactly correctly - make any number of moves, flag comes on when primary control used up and second period time added, works properly for both black and white, and behaves properly when the secondary time is used up (acts like sudden death).
Richard
If any clock adds time according to move count, without even displaying the move count, then even those who oppose move counters would probably agree that turning the move counter off is even worse than turning it on!
I could see having three options:
- move count not displayed
- move count displayed
- move count displayed, and triggers next time control
– but it seems that the fourth option –
- move count not displayed, but triggers next time control
– would be a disaster.
Bill Smythe
[quote=“Smythe Dakota”]
If the Excalibur adds time according to move count, without even displaying the move count, then even those who oppose move counters would probably agree that turning the move counter off is even worse than turning it on!
I could see having three options:
- move count not displayed
- move count displayed
- move count displayed, and triggers next time control
– but it seems that the fourth option –
- move count not displayed, but triggers next time control
– would be a disaster.
Bill Smythe[/qu
The method using the go byo-yomi setting lets the primary time expire without being triggered by the move count.
Richard
All true, but that’s not the issue with the Game Time. The move count does not trigger the secondary time control when the counter is turned off—you could play hundreds of moves within the primary control time without the secondary control being added.
The problem is the flashing red light and flag symbols when the first player runs out of time. It stays that way until the other player also uses up all the time in the first control.
Frustrating…I plan to take my Chronos to the USATE, as usual. Speaking of which, it still boggles my mind that we did not hear more about the last-round, top-board dispute based on a faulty move counter, that decided the title last year.
First I’m gonna try the workaround on the Game Time suggested by our newest Jedi Master.
What more is there to hear?
I deleted my original reply to this, which I wrote in a rush before heading out the door to a Super Bowl party.
Mainly, it would be a good learning experience for players of all levels of skill and experience; or maybe a cautionary tale. If it can happen on the top board in the last round of a national event, with the title at stake, it can happen to you, too.
For example: The first few years I had my Chronos, I set it with the move counter enabled any time I played a mixed control—such as 40/120, SD/60. Never really thought about it for a long time…and what happened at last year’s USATE could have happened to me, 10 years ago—maybe more recently, even.
A sidebar titled “Beware of move counters: believe them at your own risk,” might have opened a few eyes. Plus from a journalist’s POV, any time a national title worth noting in CL or CLO is decided by something other than moves OTB, that’s news.
Anyway, if I see anything strange at the USATE this year, I will re-re-resurrect this thread which just won’t die.
Given how easy it is for a move counter to be wrong, why on earth is one allowed at all? A player still needs a reasonably complete score sheet to claim a win on time (non-SD). The person supplying the clock simply asks for trouble and unnecessary TD intervention, just like playing without delay or increment.
Michael Aigner
I’m with Michael on this. The downside of the move counter is much larger than any upside. The best method is for the clock to just add the time of the second time control after the first time control goes to zero. The players should be in charge of knowing the moves.
At our tournaments when we explain how to set various clocks for increment, we always have the move counter off.
Mike Regan
There are some good things about a move counter. The main thing, of course, is that players don’t generally have extra clock presses in slower games, so if the clock has correct initial settings, the additional time at the start of any non-primary time control takes care of itself.
In fact, I don’t think it’s out of line to say that players actually reduce the risk of director involvement by using a move counter (provided that the clock is set and used without error). During my last several CCA events, I’ve had a lot of games where players asked me to add time at the second time control, but haven’t actually had to deal with someone losing on time because of reliance on an inaccurate move counter. Of course, it only takes one such incident to make it a problem, which appears to be exactly what happened at last year’s USATE.
When I play slower time controls, I prefer having a move counter. Of course, I don’t rely on it for scoresheet-related claims, but it is nice to be able to take a quick glance for scoresheet comparison purposes every now and then. I am much more likely to miss a move on my scoresheet than I am to have extra clock presses in a game - and I don’t miss recording moves often at all.
That said, there is certainly merit in Mr. Aigner’s question. I think it’s just a matter of personal taste. I wouldn’t want to see the move counter disallowed, but I imagine I could live without it if necessary. 
The important thing about a move counter is that at least one of the players wants to use it. Such a player is more likely to be aware of the potential problems (starting the wrong clock, forgetting to press, etc) and be ready to correct any problem as soon as it happens.
If both players are the sloppy type, and the move counter is turned on “by default” (either by TD directive or because neither player really knows or cares how to turn it off), that’s when most of the problems arise.
Bill Smythe
Right—but I think “sloppy” does not apply to players who set a move counter out of habit, without thinking. I used to be such a player myself; “sloppy” applies to my sartorial splendor, at least at chess tournaments, but not to my approach to priceless tournament rules and procedures.
Another issue is the player who figures out one setting for his clock that meets the time control for his next tournament, then saves that as a user mode or favorite. I’ve seen players who were proud they figured out how to do just that, but who would have been near-helpless if required to change to another setting or mode during the tournament. Disabling a move counter would cause their brains to tilt—or so they seem to think. Yes; it really is not that hard…
At the risk of over-regulating or -standardizing, a little uniformity might be good in the world of digital clocks.
It’s hard to see a benefit to using a move counter that outweighs the chance that using one incorrectly could decide a national title.
Also, when I wrote the post that started this thread last year I flashed back to something Seirawan wrote in “Inside Chess” long ago, when electronic display boards that keep track of how many moves had been made first appeared at GM tournaments.
Korchnoi and other time trouble addicts would consult the display boards to see how many moves had been made as they approached time control, Yasser said. He wondered if that should be allowed: Is it not receiving outside help or information? Yes, players rely on the move count at their own risk—same as with a digital clock move counter—but maybe better just to avoid the whole thing.
First, where the game happens really doesn’t matter. A director is expected to make the same ruling on first board, last board or anywhere in between. Likewise, players are expected to know the rules of play, regardless of their tournament position. Any lack of knowledge of the rules could decide a game.
Second, the number of times that a clock is just set incorrectly is, in my experience, far greater than the number of times improper reliance on a move counter contributes to the outcome of a game. Most players, especially if they use one of the many presets on a clock like the Game Time or Chronos, simply have the move counter turned on by default, even in single-control events. Many of them just ignore it.
Third, the feature exists, and is beneficial when used properly. Most players I’ve seen use it, do so properly.
I don’t see a reason to take that choice away from players. One (relatively) high-profile example of players not being aware of the rules on move counters is not, IMO, grounds for regulating the use of move counters out of existence.
I would not support an outright ban on move counters, but I think USCF might be well-served to compile a list of strong recommendations for how future digital clocks should operate. Similar to FIDE’s list of requirements to gain FIDE endorsement or approval, but ramped down one notch to ‘strong recommendation.’
Apart from that, the story from last year’s USATE would have made a worthy sidebar to an article on the tournament—or even provided the basis for a separate article, a la “Things you think you know about digital clocks, but might not.”
Here be a Rules question: Both players show up on time, White sets up a Chronos with the move counter enabled, (depends on the mode on the Chronos), Black agrees to use White’s clock, but only if the move counter is turned off. Does Black have a case? What if White replies: “You can’t just shut off the counter on a Chronos, you need to change to another mode—and I left my manual at home.”?
Even better would be an opponent who insists the move counter be displayed on his opponent’s Saitek blue clock. And so on…
Black has no basis on which to demand the clock press counter be turned off if White’s setting of the Chronos clock correctly implements the time control. White’s answer can be one simple word: “no.” However, if Black has a delay capable clock that does not have a clock press counter enabled, since Black is on time for the start of the round, he may insist on using his clock, and White has no recourse.
I have to make sure that I only do pairings at any tournament where you play. 
OK, here we go…
If Black can provide a delay-capable digital clock, he can insist on using his own.
If Black has a digital clock of his own, and knows how to set it, he’s good. If Black doesn’t have a digital clock, and/or cannot set the Chronos, he’ll either get a TD to help him, or be stuck using White’s clock. (He may still be stuck with the move counter, if the TD can’t turn it off.)
LOL…assuming Black in this case doesn’t have his own clock, I’d tell him, “If you know how to make that happen, go right ahead. Otherwise, the clock plays as is.”