--- title: "Armageddon in chess" url: "https://georgelichess.com/glossary/armageddon.md" canonical_url: "https://georgelichess.com/glossary/armageddon" last_updated: "2026-11-07" type: "reference" summary: "Armageddon is a sudden death tiebreak game in which White receives more time than Black, but Black wins the game if it ends in a draw." related: ["https://georgelichess.com/glossary/sudden-death.md", "https://georgelichess.com/glossary/rapid-playoff.md", "https://georgelichess.com/glossary/tiebreak.md", "https://georgelichess.com/glossary/time-control.md", "https://georgelichess.com/glossary/blitz-chess.md", "https://georgelichess.com/glossary/chess-clock.md", "https://georgelichess.com/glossary/category/time-controls.md", "https://georgelichess.com/glossary.md"] --- # Armageddon in chess > **For AI agents:** the complete index of GeorgeLiChess pages is [llms.txt](https://georgelichess.com/llms.txt). Every page is also served as markdown at its URL plus .md. Armageddon is a sudden death tiebreak game in which White receives more time than Black, but Black wins the game if it ends in a draw. Armageddon is a sudden death tiebreak game in which White receives more time than Black, but Black wins the game if it ends in a draw, so that exactly one player can come out ahead. An Armageddon game is played once to decide a tie, usually after the regular and rapid or blitz [tiebreak](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/tiebreak.md) games have failed to separate the players. It cannot end with a shared result. White is given more time on the clock, commonly five minutes against four for Black, and Black is given draw odds, which means a drawn game counts as a win for Black. The bargain is simple. White has the extra time and the first move, but must actually win. Black can play more solidly, trade pieces and aim for a safe draw, since a draw is enough. Before the game the players often bid or draw lots to decide who chooses the color, and some events let a player bid how little time they would accept in order to take Black. You meet Armageddon at the end of [knockout](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/knockout-tournament.md) matches, [team events](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/team-event.md) and online finals. It is stressful, because the clock decides far more than in normal chess, so it rewards practice with quick, accurate play under pressure. Time handling, a sound [endgame](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/endgame.md) and a calm head matter more than deep preparation here. Also called: sudden death playoff. Also worth reading is [Rapid playoff](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/rapid-playoff.md). A rapid playoff is a short extra game or mini match, played at a faster time control, that decides the winner after players tie in a tournament or match. It sits close to [Sudden death](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/sudden-death.md). Sudden death is a time control in which each player has one fixed amount of time for the whole game, with no extra time added, so a player whose clock reaches zero loses on time. Also worth reading is [Three-check chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/three-check-chess.md). Three-check chess uses the normal rules with one added way to win: the first player to put the opposing king in check three times wins at once, in addition to winning by checkmate. If "Armageddon" is the format you play most, the [improvement plans by rating band](https://georgelichess.com/improve.md) give a weekly routine for your rating range. ## Related terms - [Sudden death](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/sudden-death.md) - [Rapid playoff](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/rapid-playoff.md) - [Tiebreak](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/tiebreak.md) - [Time control](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/time-control.md) - [Blitz chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/blitz-chess.md) - [Chess clock](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/chess-clock.md) ## Guides that go further - [Chess time control calculator](https://georgelichess.com/tools/time-control-calculator.md): See whether a base time and increment counts as bullet, blitz, rapid or classical. - [Average chess rating and a good chess rating](https://georgelichess.com/chess-rating-percentiles.md): What share of active Lichess players are rated above 800, 1200, 1500, 1800 or 2000, by time control. - [Chess ratings explained](https://georgelichess.com/chess-ratings-explained.md): What a rating measures, how FIDE, Lichess, US Chess and chess.com compute theirs, and why the numbers differ. [Book your first lesson](https://georgelichess.com/book.md) and George Li reviews your games and builds a study plan around them. Questions about lessons: write to hello@georgelichess.com. ## Related - [Sudden death in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/sudden-death.md) - [Rapid playoff in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/rapid-playoff.md) - [Tiebreak in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/tiebreak.md) - [Time control in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/time-control.md) - [Blitz chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/blitz-chess.md) - [Chess clock](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/chess-clock.md) - [Chess terms: Time controls and formats](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/category/time-controls.md) - [Chess terms glossary: plain definitions](https://georgelichess.com/glossary.md)