Tournament Timer
Tap a clock face to pass the move. First to run out of time loses.
A chess clock — also called a chess timer — keeps both players honest on time. Instead of letting a game drag on indefinitely, each side gets a fixed budget to think, move, and manage the clock. When one player's time runs out, they lose on time regardless of the position on the board, which is the standard used in nearly every over-the-board and online tournament.
Time controls vary widely by format. Bullet games run a minute or less per side, blitz typically ranges from three to five minutes, rapid sits between ten and thirty minutes, and classical games can stretch past ninety minutes. This clock lets you set any starting time and increment you like, so you can recreate official tournament conditions or invent your own casual pace.
Increment, sometimes called a Fischer bonus, adds a few seconds back to your clock every time you complete a move. It rewards fast, decisive play and prevents games from ending in an unfair scramble. Set your starting minutes and increment above, tap Begin Game, then tap your own clock face after each move to pass the turn — first to run out of time loses, just like at a real board.
Organizations like FIDE recognize a handful of common formats. Bullet is anything under three minutes per player, blitz runs from three to ten minutes, rapid covers ten minutes up to an hour, and classical extends beyond that — often with a large base time plus increment, such as 90 minutes for 40 moves followed by 30 more minutes and a 30-second increment per move for the rest of the game. Online play tends to favor simpler versions: 3+2, 5+0, or 10+5 are common shorthand for starting minutes plus increment seconds.
A few practical tips for using a shared clock at a real board: agree on the time control before you sit down, keep the device between both players where each side can reach it without stretching, and get in the habit of tapping your own side immediately after you finish your move rather than after you've already started thinking about your opponent's reply — every second you delay is a second taken from your own clock next time it's your turn.
What is a chess clock?
A chess clock is a timer with two separate displays, one for each player, used to track how much time each side has used. When a player finishes a move, they tap the clock to start their opponent's time and stop their own.
How much time should each player get?
It depends on the format: bullet uses a minute or less per side, blitz uses three to five minutes, rapid uses ten to thirty minutes, and classical uses ninety minutes or more. Set any starting time you like above.
What's the difference between increment, Bronstein, and delay?
Increment (Fischer) adds seconds to your clock after each move, so your total time can grow. Bronstein delay gives back the time you used, up to a set limit, so your clock never gains time. Simple delay pauses your clock for a few seconds at the start of each turn before it starts counting down. Choose the mode above to match your tournament's rules.
Do I need a physical chess clock to play online?
No — this clock runs entirely in your browser, so two players at the same board can share a phone, tablet, or laptop as a digital clock instead of buying a dedicated timer.
Prefer a clock pre-set for a specific format? Try the Blitz Chess Timer (5+0, ready for fast games), the Rapid Chess Timer (15+10, the club-night standard), or the Tournament Chess Clock (90+30 with delay/increment support for official play).
Playing something other than chess tonight? Try our Taboo party game timer, or use the Pomodoro timer to stay focused between games.
Black
White
Black wins on time.