Time control
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.
Every serious game is played against a clock, and the time control describes how that clock works. It states the starting time for each side and any extra time added as the game goes on. It is usually written as minutes plus seconds, so 10+5 means ten minutes each and five seconds added after every move.
The time control shapes the game. Long controls reward deep calculation and careful planning, while short ones reward intuition, pattern recognition and speed. Most players group them into bullet, blitz, rapid and classical, in order from fastest to slowest. Each category usually has its own rating.
Choose a control that fits your goal. For learning, slower games give you time to think through ideas and are easier to review afterwards. Faster games are good for practice and fun, but they can build habits of rushing. Before a tournament, always read the control in the announcement, because it affects preparation, stamina and how you plan your time.
Also worth reading is Blindfold chess. Blindfold chess is played without seeing the board or the pieces, so each player must hold the whole position in memory and name every move aloud or through notation.
It sits close to 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.
It sits close to 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.
Time controls change what a player should practice, and the improvement plans by rating band show how the habits behind "Time control" differ across rating ranges.
Related terms
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.
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.
Blitz chess is a fast format where each player has about three to ten minutes for the whole game, so decisions rely heavily on pattern recognition and quick tactics.
Bullet chess is the fastest common format, with each player having under three minutes, usually one minute, so success depends on speed, mouse control and instant tactical vision.
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.
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.