Tournament Timer
Preset: 15+10 — the standard club-night format
Tap a clock face to pass the move. First to run out of time loses.
Rapid sits between blitz and classical, generally covering time controls from ten minutes up to an hour per side. Fifteen minutes with a ten-second increment (15+10) is one of the most widely used rapid formats — it's long enough for real strategic planning and calculation, but short enough that a full game reliably fits into a single sitting, which is why it's the default pace at most chess clubs and casual over-the-board tournaments.
The ten-second increment matters more than it might seem. In the early and middle game it barely changes anything, since you're rarely spending less than ten seconds on a move anyway. But in the endgame, where moves are often quick and forced, that increment effectively removes time pressure as a factor — a competent player who reaches an won endgame with a few minutes left will rarely lose on time alone at this pace.
Rapid is generally considered the best format for improving players to practice real decision-making under a realistic clock: slow enough to think properly through critical positions, fast enough that you can't fall back on unlimited calculation the way you could in a untimed analysis session.
What time control counts as rapid chess?
FIDE generally defines rapid as anything from 10 minutes up to 60 minutes per player. 15+10 and 25+10 are two of the most common rapid formats used at clubs and online.
Why is 15+10 such a common default?
It balances two things well: games finish in a predictable, sittable amount of time (usually 30–50 minutes total), while still leaving enough time per move for real calculation, unlike blitz where instinct dominates.
Is rapid better for improving than blitz?
For most players working on calculation and decision-making, yes — rapid's slower pace leaves room to actually think through critical moments, which blitz's speed doesn't allow.
Want something faster or slower? Try the Blitz Chess Timer or the Tournament Chess Clock.
Black
White
Black wins on time.