Online chess clock

Free chess timer · no sign-up

Black

Tap when ready

White

Tap when ready

How to use it

How to use this online chess clock

Choose a time control from the pill in the middle of the clock (the default is 3+2), then start the game: the player with the black pieces taps their half of the screen, and White’s clock starts, exactly like pressing a physical clock after a move. From then on, tap your own side right after you move. Your clock stops and your opponent’s starts. The whole half is the button, so a quick slap with a flat hand counts, and extra fingers do not register a second move.

On a phone: lay it flat between the players. Black’s half is at the top, turned to face Black. Turn Table mode off in Settings if you would rather have both halves facing you.
On a laptop or tablet: the halves sit side by side. Press A or ← for White, L or → for Black, or Space for whichever side is running. P pauses, R resets, F goes fullscreen and Esc ends the game.
Low on time: the digits turn red and show tenths of a second under 20 seconds. The clock chimes at 60 and 30 seconds, ticks every second in the last ten, and sounds a flag when time runs out. Only the player whose clock is running can lose on time.
Pausing: pause to settle a dispute, adjust either clock by 10 seconds, change the time control or end the game with a result.

Fischer increment, Bronstein and delay explained

Three different ideas are all loosely called “increment”. They behave differently, which matters when time gets short.

Fischer increment

A fixed bonus is added to your clock after every move you make, whether you thought for one second or one minute. You can bank unused time.

Example, 3+2: you start with 3:00. You move after 5 seconds, so you now have 3:00 − 0:05 + 0:02 = 2:57.

Bronstein delay

After your move, you get back the time you used, but never more than the delay amount. Your clock can never grow above where your turn began.

Example, 3 min with 5 s Bronstein: move in 3 seconds and you get 3 back, ending at 3:00. Move in 8 seconds and only 5 is refunded, ending at 2:57.

Simple (US) delay

At the start of every turn your clock waits for the delay before it begins to count down. If you move inside the delay, you lose nothing, but unused delay is never saved.

Example, 25 min with d5: a “WAIT 5” badge counts 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 while the clock holds still. Move after 8 seconds and you are charged 3.

In this clock, the Bronstein badge reads +5s brn and the simple delay badge reads d5s. You can build any of them in the custom editor, along with a second stage and an hourglass mode where the time you use flows to your opponent.

Standard chess time controls

The preset sheet groups common controls by their estimated game length (base time plus 40 moves of increment).

Category	Estimated length	Common controls
Bullet	Under 3 minutes	1+0, 1+1, 2+1
Blitz	3 to 10 minutes	3+0, 3+2, 5+0, 5+3
Rapid	10 to 30 minutes	10+0, 10+5, 15+10, 25+5 (US delay)
Classical	30 minutes and up	30+0, 90+30, 40/90′ then G/30′ +30s

The FIDE classical control used in many tournaments is 90 minutes for the first 40 moves, then 30 more minutes for the rest of the game, with a 30 second increment from move one. The 30 minutes are added to whatever time you have left when you complete move 40, rather than replacing it. Pick it from the Classical tab, or build your own: for example 90+30 for a rapidplay game.

Also a clock for Scrabble, Go, shogi and board games

Nothing here is specific to chess. Any two-player game with a clock can use it: Scrabble, Go, shogi, xiangqi, checkers, backgammon, Othello, Hive or a home-made game. Use sudden death for a simple fixed limit, an increment for longer games, or the hourglass mode for a classic “sand” feel. Byo-yomi for Go and shogi, and points-per-minute overtime for Scrabble, are part of Duo for iPhone and iPad.

Questions

Chess clock FAQ

How do I use an online chess clock?

Pick a time control, then let Black tap the idle clock to start White’s time. After that, each player taps their own half of the screen as soon as they have made their move. That stops your clock and starts your opponent’s. Use Pause if you need to stop the game and End to record a result.

What does 3+2 mean on a chess clock?

Three minutes for each player plus a two-second Fischer increment added after every move. It is one of the most popular blitz time controls online.

What is the difference between increment and delay?

Fischer increment adds time to your clock after you move, so you can bank unused time. Simple (US) delay holds your clock still for a few seconds at the start of each turn and then counts down, so unused delay is lost. Bronstein delay refunds the time you actually spent on a move, up to the delay amount.

Is this chess clock accurate?

Yes. It stores a timestamp when a move is made and works out the remaining time from the browser’s high-resolution timer on every frame, rather than counting ticks, so it cannot drift over a long game. It also keeps correct time if you switch tabs. The 0.2 second press guard stops a double slap from counting as two moves.

Can I use it on a phone or tablet?

Yes. On a phone held between two players the top half is Black and is turned to face the opponent, and each whole half is a button. On a laptop or iPad beside the board the halves sit side by side and you can use the keyboard. The screen is kept awake while a game is running, on browsers that support it.

Does it work for Scrabble, Go, shogi and other board games?

Yes. Any two-player game with a clock works. Choose a sudden-death or increment control that suits the game, or build a custom one. Byo-yomi and Scrabble penalty overtime are available in the Duo app for iPhone and iPad.

Is the chess clock free, and are my games stored?

It is free, with no account and no ads. Your settings, player names, custom time controls and your last games are saved only in your own browser’s local storage. Nothing is sent to a server. Clearing site data removes them.

What is the FIDE classical time control?

A common FIDE classical control gives each player 90 minutes for the first 40 moves, then 30 more minutes for the rest of the game, with a 30 second increment from move one. It is available as a preset on the Classical tab.

More from this site: Duo, the chess clock app · All AZ iOS Apps

Online chess clock

Paused

White wins on time.

How to use this online chess clock

Fischer increment, Bronstein and delay explained

Fischer increment

Bronstein delay

Simple (US) delay

Standard chess time controls

Also a clock for Scrabble, Go, shogi and board games

Chess clock FAQ

Time control

Locked on the web

Saved

Custom control

Settings

Sound & warnings

Table mode

Players

Your data

Recent games

Players

End game