Chess Time Control Calculator

How FIDE classifies time controls

The FIDE Laws of Chess define categories by the time each player has for 60 moves: base time plus any extra time added later plus 60 times the increment. Blitz is 10 minutes or less per player; rapid is more than 10 and less than 60 minutes; standard, often called classical, is 60 minutes or more. A 15-minute game with a 10-second increment counts as 15 + 60 × 10 seconds = 25 minutes, so it is rapid. 3 minutes plus 2 seconds counts as 5 minutes, blitz. 45 minutes plus 15 seconds counts as exactly 60 minutes and is therefore a standard game for rating purposes, a fact many organisers use to run one-day classical events.

Online categories are different

Online servers use their own conventions. Lichess estimates game duration as base time plus 40 times the increment and classifies under 30 seconds as UltraBullet, under 3 minutes as Bullet, under 8 minutes as Blitz, under 25 minutes as Rapid and longer as Classical. As a result, 10 minutes with no increment is blitz under FIDE's Laws but rapid on Lichess, because its estimate of 600 seconds falls in the rapid band. A common misconception is that a rating on one server or in one category transfers directly to another; they are separate rating pools with different player populations.

How long will the round take?

For scheduling, the useful number is the maximum length of a game: twice the time each player could use. For an expected 40 moves, a 15 + 10 game can last up to 2 × (15 + 40 × 10 seconds) = 43 minutes. A classic FIDE time control of 90 minutes for the whole game plus 30 minutes added after move 40 and 30 seconds per move from the start can last 2 × (90 + 30 + 40 × 0.5) = 280 minutes for 40 moves, over four and a half hours, and longer if the game goes beyond 40 moves. Organisers should schedule from the maximum, not the average, and add time for pairings and late finishes.

Increment and delay

Increments, also called Fischer increments, add time after every move and mean that a player can never lose on time with many moves to make in a won position, provided each move is quick. Delay, used mostly in the United States, holds the clock for a few seconds each move without adding unused time. They change the feel of the end of a game more than its length. FIDE rated events with increments must use clocks capable of them, and the Laws' quickplay finish rules apply only to games without increment.

How to use it

1. Enter the base time per player in minutes.
2. Enter the increment per move in seconds and any extra time added later, such as after move 40.
3. Enter the number of moves you expect, around 40 for most games.
4. Read the FIDE category, the Lichess category and the maximum game length for scheduling.