"Rules ADM: Modify rule 5 (The Chess Clock)"

Running Chess Tournaments
21

OK, here are some of the nits I promised to pick. I’ll start with the most recent discussion, the proposed rewrite of 5B.

As presented, there seems to be a trichotomy among sudden death controls, increment or delay controls, and mixed controls, as though the three are exhaustive and mutually exclusive. In fact, though, increment or delay can be applied (and in fact must be specified, even if zero) for both sudden death and mixed controls.

In addition, I would prefer that the TD TIPs explaining how to write the time control information be moved to the end. For one thing, this avoids the problem of “partial” time controls (like G/30) creeping into the discussion, which might encourage organizers to improperly omit the delay information, especially if it is zero.

Here is my (partial) proposal for 5B:

5B. Time controls. A time control consists of one or more time control segments. Each time control segment consists of a base time, along with either an increment time or a delay time. The base time is the time allocated to the player at the start of the time control segment. Increment time and delay time are described in 5B3 and 5B4 below.

5B1. Base time. The base time specifies the number of minutes in the time control segment, along with either (a) the number of moves to be played in the segment, or (b) completion of all moves (or all remaining moves) in the segment. A segment in which all moves, or all remaining moves, are to be played is called a “sudden death” segment.

5B2. Types of time controls. A time control may be either single, mixed, or repeating.

5B2a. A single time control consists of a single sudden-death segment.

5B2b. A mixed time control consists of one or more non-sudden-death segments followed by one sudden-death segment.

5B2c. A repeating time control consists of one or more non-sudden death segments. In this case the number of minutes and number of moves specified in the final segment are repeated indefinitely until the end of the game.

5B3. Increment time. The increment time, if any, is specified in seconds, and is added to the player’s remaining base time before each move.

5B4. Delay time. The delay time, if any, is specified in seconds. On each move, after the player’s clock is started, the player’s remaining base time will not begin decreasing until the delay time has elapsed. If the player moves and presses the clock before the delay time has fully elapsed, the player’s remaining base time is unchanged and the unused delay time is ignored.

Some clocks implement Bronstein mode [ etc etc etc ] …

5B5. No increment or delay. If neither increment nor delay is to be used for the time control segment, this is indicated by specifying a delay of 0 seconds.

5B6. Recommended increment or delay. For a mixed or repeating time control, or for a base time of 30 minutes or more, an increment or delay in the range of 5-30 seconds is recommended. For a base time of less than 30 minutes, an increment or delay of 3 seconds is recommended. For a base time of less than 10 minutes, an increment or delay of 2 seconds is recommended. [ Adjust base times as appropriate ]

5B7. Increment or delay with mixed time controls. If a mixed time control includes increment or delay, the increment or delay should apply starting with the first move of the game, and the increment or delay time should be the same for all time control segments in the game.

TD TIP: Organizers are very strongly encouraged to follow rule 5B7. [ etc etc etc ]

5B8. Specifications for time controls. The following notations should be used when writing tournament announcements for publication in Chess Life, Chess Life Online, and Chess Life for Kids, and are also recommended for all other significant pre-event publicity. [ Change names of publications as appropriate ]

5B8a. Base time. Base time should be written as number of moves, followed by number of minutes. For a single sudden-death time control, use “G” (game) followed by number of minutes. For the final time control segment in a mixed control, use “SD” (sudden death) followed by number of minutes.

5B8b. Increment time. Increment time should be written as “inc” followed by the increment time in seconds.

5B8c. Delay time. Delay time should be written as “d” followed by the delay time in seconds.

5B8d. Mixed and repeating time controls. If the increment or delay time is the same for all time control segments, the increment or delay time need be specified only once, after all the base times. A strong separator, such as a comma or semicolon, should be used between the final base time and the increment or delay time. If the increment or delay time is not the same for all time control segments, the increment or delay time must be specified for each time control segment, and a strong separator should be used between segments.

TD TIP: The following are examples of correctly written time control specifications:
G/90 inc/30 – Game (all moves) in 90 minutes, with a 30-second increment.
G/30 d/5 – Game (all moves) in 30 minutes, with a 5-second delay.
G/30 d/0 – Game (all moves) in 30 minutes, with neither increment nor delay. (This is not recommended – see 5B6.)
40/120 SD/60; d/5 – 40 moves in 120 minutes, then sudden death in 60 minutes, with a 5-second delay throughout.
40/120 d/0; SD/60 d/5 – 40 moves in 120 minutes with no delay, then sudden death in 60 minutes with a 5-second delay. (This is not recommended – see 5B7 and the ensuing TD TIP.)
Please note that, in any time control segment with neither increment nor delay, “d/0” must be explicitly specified.

Bill Smythe

22

I like this proposal very much. In particular, you introduce the term “time control segment” instead of using “time control” to refer to both the individual segments and the entire time control. For the purposes of the definitions in 5B, this works very well.

However, common usage (and usage in other parts of the rules) is to use “time control” to refer to segments. For instance, a player might say “did we make the time control” or “we’re in the next time control and the clock didn’t add time.” One possibility is to try to scrub the rules and replace “time control” with “time control segment” where needed. Another possibility is to include a TD Tip that documents the common misuse of “time control.” Basically, I think the problem is that “time control segment,” while precise, is too wordy to catch on in common usage.

This proposed rule 5B gives a well-organized explanation of time controls. If someone not familiar with chess were to ask me what a “time control” is, I would be comfortable handing the person the rule book and pointing to this version of rule 5B as the answer.

This version of 5B means that 5A must be revisited and possibly eliminated. At the very least, rule 5A has a definition of “time control” that is contradictory to the definition in the proposed 5B.

23

Perhaps the phrase “time control segment” could be replaced as needed with “primary time control”, “secondary time control” and “tertiary time control”. Virtually no events have four distinct time control periods anymore.

In the alternate, perhaps “first time control”, “second time control”, etc., might be better, though I think “primary time control” is still in heavy use when talking about multiple time controls.

24

I think the jury’s still out on whether increment in a primary TC is better than not starting increment until sudden death.

25

I think the reason people say “time control” to refer to both the entire control and individual segments is that they don’t what to say. The rules don’t differentiate. If the rules were more precise in that, then eventually people will adjust as well. I like that this latest refers to “one or time control segments”. You could, I suppose simply say one or “segments”. But, either works.

In the initial revised 5E when referring to substituting a delay clock for an increment that doesn’t have the matching delay time for the increment, you say to use the “maximum” possible value. Perhaps it would be better to say “closest” possible value. Realistically it may be unlikely that someone would use a 30 second delay to replace a 10 second increment, when a 5 second delay is available, but it’s better not to allow loopholes like this in the rules if possible. Another possibility is to say “closest, but not exceeding”. The only downside is that it wouldn’t allow d5 to replace d3, which is probably reasonable as it is still fairly close.

There should be no reference to “standard” delay or increment or even “assumed” delay or increment. The delay/increment must always be specified. At most, you could mention some “recommended” values. If the organizer omits the delay/increment in the specification, then his punishment should be that he is bombarded with questions on what the delay is. Next time, he might remember to put it in then.

26

So what is needed, somehow, is two different terms, one for “time control segment” and another for “all the segments together”. Perhaps “time control” could be used for the former instead of the latter, and some genius could come up with a new term for the latter.

Let me take this opportunity to apologize to Ken (and anybody else who might be confused) for referring to this latest effort as “my” proposal. It was actually about 85% Ken’s (with some renumbering) and 15% mine. I simply started with his, and went ahead from there. Ken’s original version is so much better than the present rule, that his version seemed the most logical jumping-off point.

Bill Smythe

27

To gather all the pieces in one post, here is what rule 5 will be after the current state of my proposed changes. This includes Mr. Smythe’s proposed changes to the existing rule 5B. (The current rule 5A and 5B have been merged into the replacement rule 5A.)

Note: I am proposing to move the existing rules 5H (Pressing the clock) and 5I (Stopping the clock) to rule 16 (Use of the chess clock).

5. The Chess Clock and Time Controls

This rule describes time controls and the type of clock that is standard for each type of time control. For rules concerning the use of the chess clock during the game, see 16, Use of the Chess Clock.

5A. Time controls.

A time control consists of one or more time control segments. Each time control segment consists of a base time, along with either an increment time or a delay time. The base time is the time allocated to the player at the start of the time control segment. Increment time and delay time are described in 5A3 and 5A4 below.

5A1. Base time. The base time specifies the number of minutes in the time control segment, along with either (a) the number of moves to be played in the segment, or (b) completion of all moves (or all remaining moves) in the segment. A segment in which all moves, or all remaining moves, are to be played is called a “sudden death” segment.

5A2. Types of time controls. A time control may be single, mixed, or repeating.

5A2a. A single time control consists of a single sudden-death segment in which all the moves of the game must be made.

5A2b. A mixed time control consists of one or more non-sudden-death segments followed by one sudden-death segment in which all the remaining moves of the game must be made.

5A2c. A repeating time control consists of one or more non-sudden death segments. In this case, the number of minutes and number of moves specified in the final segment are repeated indefinitely until the end of the game.

5A3. Increment time. The increment time, if any, is specified in seconds, and is added to the player’s remaining base time before each move.

5A4. Delay time. The delay time, if any, is specified in seconds. On each move, after the player’s clock is started, the player’s remaining base time will not begin to decrease until the delay time has elapsed. If the player moves and presses the clock before the delay time has fully elapsed, the player’s remaining base time is unchanged and the unused delay time is ignored.

Some clocks implement Bronstein mode, which is an alternative to delay mode. In Bronstein mode, the delay time is added to the player’s remaining time at the beginning of the move. The clock then begins deducting time from the player immediately. If the player presses the clock before the full delay time has elapsed, the clock will add only the used time to the player’s remaining time, not the full delay time. Thus, a Bronstein mode clock always shows the total time a player has available to make his move. Bronstein mode is fully equivalent to delay mode, and both are equally acceptable for use with a delay time control.

5A5. Recommended increment or delay. For a mixed or repeating time control, or for a base time of 30 minutes or more, an increment or delay in the range of 5 to 30 seconds is recommended. For a base time of more than 10 minutes and less than 30 minutes, an increment or delay of 3 seconds is recommended. For a base time of 10 minutes or less, an increment or delay of 2 seconds is recommended.

5A6. Increment or delay with mixed time controls. If a mixed time control includes increment or delay, the increment or delay should apply starting with the first move of the game, and the increment or delay time should be the same for all time control segments in the game.

TD TIP: Organizers are very strongly encouraged to follow rule 5A6. Some clocks can not be set for different delay or increment times in different time controls, and it is likely players wll not know how to set their clocks for differing increment or delay times or to enable increment or delay in some but not all time controls of the game.

5A7. Specifications for time controls. The following notations should be used when writing tournament announcements for publication in official USCF publications and are also recommended for all other significant pre-event publicity.

5A7a. Base time. Base time should be written as the number of moves followed by a slash (/) and the number of minutes. For a single sudden-death time control segment, use “G/” (game) followed by the number of minutes. For the final time control segment in a mixed time control, use “SD/” (sudden death) followed by the number of minutes.

TD TIP: For example, 40/90 indicates each player must complete 40 moves within 90 minutes; G/30 indicates each player must make all the moves of the game within 30 minutes; SD/60 indicates each player will have one hour additional base time in which to complete the game.

5A7b. Increment time. Increment time should be written as “inc/” followed by the increment time in seconds. Alternatively, increment time may be written as a plus sign (+) followed by the increment time in seconds.

5A7c. Delay time. Delay time should be written as “d/” followed by the delay time in seconds.

5A7d. Mixed and repeating time controls. If the increment or delay time is the same for all time control segments, the increment or delay time need be specified only once. If the increment or delay time is not the same for all time control segments, the increment or delay time must be specified for each time control segment, and a semicolon should be used between segments. If there is no increment or delay time in any time control segment, this must be indicated by writing “d/0” after the final time control segment.

[i]TD TIP: The following are examples of correctly written time control specifications:

  • G/90 inc/30 – Game (all moves) in 90 minutes, with 30 seconds increment time.
  • G/30 d/5 – Game (all moves) in 30 minutes, with 5 seconds delay time.
  • G/30 d/0 – Game (all moves) in 30 minutes, with neither increment nor delay. (This is not recommended; see rule 5A5.)
  • 40/120 SD/60 d/5 – 40 moves in 120 minutes, then the rest of the moves of the game in 60 minutes, with a five-second delay throughout the game.
  • 40/120 d/0; SD/60 d/5 – 40 moves in 120 minutes, with no delay or increment; then all the rest of the moves of the game in 60 minutes with a five-second delay. (This is not recommended; see rule 5A6 and the TD TIP following rule 5A6.)
    [/i]

5A8. Time control specified fully in advance publicity. In all advance publicity which specifies the time control for the event, the organizer must indicate the full time control including the increment or delay time as described in rule 5A7. (If there is no increment or delay time, the time control specification must include the notation “d/0” to indicate explicitly the lack of increment or delay.) The time control must be specified in Tournament Life Announcements and should be specified in other publicity such as flyer mailings, email, and on web sites. It is acceptable for abbreviated publicity to refer the reader to more complete tournament details posted elsewhere.

5A8a. Organizer fails to comply with rule 5A8. If the organizer fails to comply with rule 5A8 and does not publish a specification of increment or delay time in the time control, the recommended delay specified in rule 5A5 shall apply.

TD TIP: This rule does not excuse organizers from the responsibility of advertising complete time control details.

5B. Ratable time controls.

There are three rating systems: Regular (slow), Quick (fast) and Blitz. For the purposes of rating G/minutes and inc/seconds (or d/seconds), add minutes (mm) and seconds (ss) for total playing time for each player. (i.e. total time equals minutes plus (seconds times 60)) or mm+ss; e.g.: G/60 d/5 = 60+5 = 65 minutes total playing time for each player. Multiple time controls add all mm for each control: mm = mm(1) + mm(2) + …

TD TIP: In the above, the notation mm refers to the base time and ss refers to the increment or delay time.

Regular only: Total playing time for each player is greater than 65 minutes. mm+ss > 65.

Dual (both regular and quick): Total playing time for each player is from 30 to 65 minutes. 30 <= mm+ss <= 65.

Quick only: Total playing time for each player is more than 10 and less than 30 minutes. 10 < mm+ss < 30

For Regular, Dual and Quick the primary time (mm in minutes) must be at least 5 minutes.

Blitz: Total playing time for each player is from 5 to 10 minutes inclusive and the primary time control must be at least 3 minutes. 5 <= mm+ss <= 10 All rounds must use the same time control.

[i]TD TIP: Examples of standard time controls:
40/90 SD/30 inc/30 Regular
40/120 SD/60 d/5 Regular
40/115 SD/60 d/5 Regular
G/120 inc/30 Regular
G/120 d/5 Regular
G/115 d/5 Regular
G/90 inc/30 Regular
G/90 d/5 Regular
G/60 inc/30 Regular
G/60 d/5 Dual
30/30 SD/30 d/5 Dual
G/30 d/5 Dual
G/25 d/5 Dual
G/25 d/3 Quick
G/15 d/3 Quick
G/10 d/3 Quick
G/10 d/0 Blitz
G/5 d/0 Blitz
G/3 inc/2 Blitz

Although these are not all of the possible time controls, organizers are encouraged to select one of the above (or very similar) so that all participants are clear as what to expect and under which system the event will be rated.[/i]

[i]TD TIP: Here is how the changes referred to in 5B will be implemented and administered:

Quick Chess: A Quick Chess event is for a person who wishes to play many games in one day and not have the results affect his regular rating. The time controls in a Quick Chess tournament are designed to be a single time control of more than 10 to less than 30 total playing minutes per player, one second delay or increment counting as 1 minute playing time. 10 < mm + ss < 30. Sudden-death rules are used in Quick Chess events, except scorekeeping is not required.

Dual Rating: All events with total playing time for each player of 30 to 65 minutes inclusive (30 ≤ mm+ss < 65) will be dual rated, that is, rated under both the Quick and Regular rating systems.
Blitz: Any event that the total playing time 5 minutes or greater and is 10 minutes or less (5≤ mm+ss < 10) will be Blitz rated. (Blitz rules apply, see Chapter 11.) For clarity, it is advisable to state Blitz in the title or in the time control of the event.

Note 1: Game/60 d/5 is Dual Rated. If you wish for the games not to be Quick Rated, make the total basic time control at least Game in 61 minutes or longer and use a 5 second delay (61 + 5 = 66). Game/25 d/5 is also Dual Rated (25 + 5 = 30). If you do not want these games to be Regular Rated, make the time control Game/26 d/3 (26 + 3 = 29) or quicker.

Note 2: The TD must indicate what the time control is for all sections of all events, including the delay or increment used. If submitting by disk or paper, the time control is to be indicated. If different sections have different time controls, indicate the time control for each section. If submitting the report online, the TD is to enter the time control for all sections. The time control used determines whether the event is regular, dual, quick or blitz rated.

Note 3: If a section has different schedules that merge, the slowest control is all that is needed, provided all games meet the criteria for the slowest time control. This applies when early rounds might fall in the dual rated group (which is regular rated, and the slower time control is regular only. All rounds will then be regular rated only.
Example: 3-day schedule is 40/120 SD/6 d/5. The 2 day schedule plays rounds 1 and 2 at game 45 and then merges with the 3-day schedule for round 3. All that needs to be reported is the 40/120 SD/60 d/5 (120 + 60) as USCF cannot separate the schedules at this point.

If any games in a section use a time control that is quick-ratable only (i.e. total time greater than 10 minutes but less than 30 minutes), then all games in that section must use time controls that are quick-ratable only. If any games in a section use a time control that is blitz ratable (i.e. total time between 5 and 10 minutes), then all games in that section must use time controls that are blitz ratable.[/i]

5C. Accumulation of time.

The time unused by a player during one time control segment accumulates and is added to the player’s available time for the next time control segment.

5D. Standard timer.

5D1. Standard timer for increment time controls. An increment capable clock is the standard timer for use with an increment time control.

5D1a. Increment capable clock not available. If an increment capable clock is not available, one of the following clocks, listed in order of preference from most to least preferred, may be used:

  1. A delay capable clock whose delay can be set for the increment time.
  2. A delay capable clock whose delay can not be set for the increment time.
  3. A digital clock that is not delay capable.
  4. An analog clock.

5D1b. Setting a non-increment capable clock for use with an increment time control. In all cases, each player starts with the clock set for the base time. If the clock is delay capable and the delay can be set the same as the increment time, the clock should be so configured. Otherwise, if the clock is delay capable, set the delay time to the maximum possible value that does not exceed the increment time. If the clock is not delay capable, the clock is set to the base time.

5D1b1. Variation. The organizer may specify a different time control to be used with clocks that are capable of neither increment nor delay. This must be specified in all pre-tournament publicity.

5D2. Standard timer for delay time controls. A delay capable clock is the standard timer for use with a delay time control.

5D2a. Delay capable clock not available. If a delay capable (or Bronstein capable) clock is not available, a digital clock that is not delay capable may be used. If a digital clock is not available, an analog clock may be used. In all cases, the clock is set so that each player starts with the base time.

5D2a1. Variation. The organizer may specify a different time control to be used with clocks that are not delay capable. This must be specified in all pre-tournament publicity.

5D3. Standard timer for time controls with neither delay nor increment. The standard timer for a time control with neither delay nor increment is a digital clock. If a digital clock is not available, an analog clock may be used.

5D4. Digital clock preferred over analog clock. In all cases, a digital clock is preferred over an analog clock.

TD TIP: A digital clock operates silently. It can be set so that both players have exactly the same amount of time. Digital clocks time the game more precisely and are not subject to having the two sides of the clock run at different rates

5D5. Replacement of non-standard timer in increment and delay time controls. If either player arrives late for the start of the game, and a clock without delay or increment has already been started the player has the right to furnish and substitute a properly set delay or increment capable clock prior to the determination of black’s first move. The player substituting the delay or increment capable clock must also transfer the elapsed times shown on the original clock to the replacement clock without any additional adjustments (except to correct any errors in the display of the elapsed time).

5D6. Same clock used for the entire game. Except as provided in rules 5D5 and 14H2a, once a game starts, the same clock must be used throughout the entire game. If a defective clock must be replaced as described in rule 16O, the replacement clock shall be set in the same manner as the clock being replaced. See also 5D5, Replacement of non-standard timer in increment and delay time controls; 14H2a, The claim is unclear and a delay clock is available for the game; and 16O, Defective clocks.

5E. The flag.

Monitoring of each player’s time is done with a clock equipped wih a flag or other special device used to signal the end of a time control; the flag falls to indicate the player’s time has been used up. Some digital clocks have a beep, a light, or a display of all zeros to indicate that the player’s time has been exhausted. References in this book to a flag falling or being down also apply to such flag substitutes. See also 16E, When flag is considered down; 16F, Evidence provided by flag; 16G, Premature flag fall; 16H, Apparent flag fall can cause forfeit; 35F5, Special clock; and 42B, Signaling devices.

Edit: fix a typo (“being” => “begin” in rule 5A4)
Edit: fix “<” to be “<=” as necessary in rule 5B (the “less than or equal to” character did not transfer to HTML)

28

Wow. It just gets better.

One typo, and one error:

In 5A4, “will not being decreasing” should be “will not begin decreasing”. It’s an anagram.

In 5A7d, in “If there is no increment or delay time in any time control segment, this must be indicated by writing “d/0” after the final time control segment”, the word “final” is not correct (unless d/0 applies to the final segment, which would be highly unusual). A better word might be “offending” (heh heh) :smiling_imp: or something meaning “the segment to which d/0 applies”.

Hmm – did you mean “no increment or delay at all, in any segment”, or “there exists a segment in which there is no increment or delay”? If you meant the former, then I withdraw my objection, but the latter case should also be covered somehow.

Nice job!

Bill Smythe

29

Dang, my brain got ahead of my fingers while typing. I fixed it and also changed “begin decreasing” to “begin to decrease.”

I did mean no increment or delay whatsoever, in any time control segment. How would this work: “If an individual time control segment uses neither increment nor delay, specify this by writing d/0 at the end of the segment. If the entire time control uses neither increment nor delay, specify this by writing d/0 at the end of the entire time control.” The examples in the TD tip following 5A7d offer examples of both.

Thank you, and at the risk of forming a “mutual admiration society,” I really like your suggestion for 5A in the proposal. And I think we have a nice flow to this rule:

  • 5A: what is a time control, and define terms related to time control
  • 5B: how time control determines rating system
  • 5C: what happens to unused time from a segment
  • 5D: which type of clock is standard for increment, delay, and neither
  • 5E: the flag

Hm … as I look at that list, I’m starting to think that 5C is misplaced. Maybe it shouldn’t be a major subrule of 5, but rather should be moved to 5A. I’m thinking of moving it to 5A8 (and renumering 5A8 to 5A9), or adding the sentence “The unused time remaining at the end of each segment accumulates and is added to the player’s available time for the next segment” to both 5A2b (mixed time control) and 5A2c (repeating time control). In fact, while I generally don’t like repetition, including that in the definition of mixed and repeating time controls seems reasonable.

Then, 5E is really starting to feel like the odd duck here. The current rules 16E, 16F, 16G, and 16H are concerned with flag fall. I’m thinking “the flag” belongs with those rules, not stuck at the end of rule 5 like some sort of afterthought.

30

Ken,

Would you consider indicating that a time control could be one without any increment or delay? Something like this?

“A time control consists of one or more time control segments. Each time control segment consists of a base time, along with either an increment time or a delay time. The base time is the time allocated to the player at the start of the time control segment. Increment time and delay time are described in 5A3 and 5A4 below.” In the case of a time control consisting of only one segment, the control would be of base time only; that is, the control would be one having no increment, or delay time.

31

No, no, a thousand times no.

The whole point is that the increment or delay, even if zero, must be explicitly stated. Each time control segment must have both a base-time “sub-segment” and an increment-or-delay “sub-segment”, if you want to look at it that way.

The organizer who wants a single segment with no increment or delay can accomplish this easily, just by specifying “G/45 d/0”.

Bill Smythe

32

Bill, Sorry, you misinterpreted my suggestion. I agree that, in advance publications, d/0 would need to be mentioned. My suggestion is only for the purpose of the rule, in order to state that tournaments may be ran without delay/increment. As it is, now, it might appear as if all events must have a delay or increment.

Ken, I know you’ve mentioned later that there could be a no delay/increment, but it seems “in passing”, and it would be good, I believe, to make the statement that no delay/inc is allowed, in the main rule.

33

Simply adding the phrase “or lack thereof” would suffice.

34

That’s very curious. In the Microsoft Word document I’ve been using to do my rewrite, I have the parenthetical phrase “(which may be zero)”:

I think I prefer that wording to the phrase “or lack thereof” if only because it emphasizes that the full specification of such a time control segment must include “d/0”.

I don’t know how I lost that phrase when posting. :confused:

35

Yes, (which may be zero) is much better. :smiley:

36

Whatever parser you used must have been confused by the italics immediately followed by a left parenthesis. :slight_smile:

Yes, that’s an excellent solution. The really cool thing is, it’s not clear whether “(which may be zero)” modifies only “a delay time” or the entire phrase “an increment time or a delay time” – and it doesn’t matter one whit, because it’s the same thing anyway, especially since we seem to have adopted “d/0” rather than “inc/0” for this concept. :laughing:

Bill Smythe

37

This makes it seem like increment or delay is required. I know it clarifies that increment or delay isn’t required later but it would probably be good just to avoid this confusion from the start.

Why is Quick chess called “fast” instead of Blitz?

d/10 is becoming popular so I think some time controls with d/10 should be listed.

I don’t like the wording of this sentence.

It should be stated that both players must start with the same time since time odds games continue to be submitted for rating.

38

Why do the time controls that constitute quick, dual, and blitz need to be stated twice in such a short span?

39

Recently, I had to adjust a clock where one player had a ten second delay, but the other side was set only for a five second delay. The player had failed to reset his clock properly from the settings he used in a previous tournament. Since only the word “delay” flashed and no numbers counting down the delay were on the face of the clock, the players did not catch it until well into the game. This would be a neat trick for an unethical player to pull. A good reason to make sure each player checks the clock before the game begins and understands how it operates. A seven second delay for one side might not be caught if you are using some clocks. The usual mistake (or deliberate act) is to set one side with a delay and the other side without delay.

The player whose clock was set wrong surprised me by resigning the game because he felt he wronged his opponent by his negligence in setting the clock. The other player refused the resignation. I added 5 minutes to his side of the newly reset clock and the game continued.

40

This is why I like the new check clock that is coming out. It shows what the clock is set for, including any secondary time control and delay or increment.