Classical chess
Classical chess is the slowest regular format, with long thinking time per player, usually more than an hour each, and it is the format used for most serious over the board events.
Also called: standard chess
Classical games give each player a large block of time, often with extra time added per move, so a single game can last three to six hours. Titles, norms and most official ratings are based on this format, which is why serious tournament players care about it most.
The long clock makes depth possible. You can calculate variations carefully, compare plans and check a move for tactical problems before you play it. That makes classical chess the best format for learning, because mistakes come from understanding rather than from panic. It also tests stamina and discipline, since you must keep concentrating for hours.
For a student, a sensible habit is to write your moves on the scoresheet, spend more time at critical moments and avoid long thinks in simple positions. After each game, review it with an engine or a coach to find where the real mistakes happened. Classical games are fewer than online games, so each one is worth learning from.
A neighboring idea is Correspondence chess. Correspondence chess is played over a long period, with moves sent by post, email or a website, so each player has days to think about every move.
Compare it with Delay. A delay is a pause at the start of each turn before a clock begins counting down, so a player can use that short time without losing any from the main clock.
Compare it with Rapid chess. Rapid chess is a medium speed format, with each player getting roughly ten to sixty minutes, which keeps games thoughtful while allowing several rounds to be played in one day.
If "Classical chess" is the format you play most, the improvement plans by rating band give a weekly routine for your rating range.
Related terms
A time control is the rule that sets how much thinking time each player gets in a game, and whether extra time is added per move, which decides what kind of chess is being played.
Rapid chess is a medium speed format, with each player getting roughly ten to sixty minutes, which keeps games thoughtful while allowing several rounds to be played in one day.
An increment is a small amount of time added to a player clock after each move, so that thinking time never fully runs out as long as moves keep being made quickly.
A delay is a pause at the start of each turn before a clock begins counting down, so a player can use that short time without losing any from the main clock.
Time management in chess is the skill of spending clock time where it matters most, thinking longer in critical positions and moving quickly in routine ones, so that you never face a decisive position with seconds left.
A scoresheet is the paper or electronic form on which each player writes down all the moves of the game in algebraic notation, and which both players sign or approve at the end to confirm the result.
Guides that go further
See whether a base time and increment counts as bullet, blitz, rapid or classical.
Average chess rating and a good chess rating
What share of active Lichess players are rated above 800, 1200, 1500, 1800 or 2000, by time control.
What a rating measures, how FIDE, Lichess, US Chess and chess.com compute theirs, and why the numbers differ.
Want to spot this in your own games?
A first lesson starts with your games: George reviews them and builds a study plan around what he finds.