Chess time control calculator
This calculator reads a time control such as 3+2 and classifies it two ways. Lichess adds 40 times the increment to the base time and picks a category from that estimate. FIDE adds 60 times the increment to the time allotted and sorts the result into blitz, rapid or standard. The two rules weigh the increment differently.
Each player's starting time. Decimals are fine, for example 0.5 for 30 seconds.
Seconds added after each move, 0 to 180.
- Lichess category
- Blitz
- Estimate 260 s, about 4 min 20 s
- FIDE class
- Blitz
- Effective time 300 s, about 5 min
- Rated play
- The effective time is more than 3 minutes, so a blitz game at this control can be rated.
FIDE Handbook E01 Appendix B.1, edition 1 January 2023, checked 2026-10-19
How it is computed
A time control is a base time plus an increment added after each move. Two published conventions turn that pair into one number, and each number then picks a class.
Lichess estimate (seconds) = base seconds + 40 x increment seconds
FIDE effective time (seconds) = base seconds + 60 x increment seconds
The two conventions weigh the increment differently, so one control can land in different classes. A control with no increment shows it most plainly when its base time sits near a boundary of one convention but not the other.
Lichess categories
| Category | Estimate |
|---|---|
| UltraBullet | Under 30 s |
| Bullet | 30 s to under 3 min |
| Blitz | 3 min to under 8 min |
| Rapid | 8 min to under 25 min |
| Classical | 25 min or more |
FIDE classes
| Class | Rule |
|---|---|
| Blitz | Effective time of 10 minutes or less |
| Rapid | Effective time of more than 10 and under 60 minutes |
| Standard | Effective time of 60 minutes or more |
Worked examples
These rows were produced by the same code as the calculator above. Type the same control into the calculator and you will see the same numbers.
| Control | Lichess estimate | Lichess category | FIDE effective time | FIDE class |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1+0 | 60 s | Bullet | 60 s | Blitz |
| 3+2 | 260 s | Blitz | 300 s | Blitz |
| 10+0 | 600 s | Rapid | 600 s | Blitz |
| 15+10 | 1,300 s | Rapid | 1,500 s | Rapid |
| 90+30 | 6,600 s | Classical | 7,200 s | Standard |
Sources
Checked against the FIDE Handbook edition dated 1 January 2023 on 2026-10-19. FIDE Handbook. Lichess categories and the estimate come from the scalachess library, read on 2026-10-19. Speed.scala and Clock.scala.
Only an event's own regulations and the arbiter decide how a game is rated. This page reports what the two published conventions say.
Questions people ask
- Why do Lichess and FIDE give different classes for the same control?
- Each one counts the increment differently. Lichess assumes a game of about forty moves, while FIDE counts sixty increments per player. A control with a long increment therefore looks longer to FIDE, and a control with none can sit on either side of a boundary depending on the convention.
- What does the Lichess estimate mean?
- It is the base time in seconds plus the increment in seconds multiplied by the assumed number of moves. Lichess uses that single number to choose a category such as Bullet or Rapid. It is an estimate of game length, not a promise of how long any one game will last.
- Which time controls are allowed in FIDE rated play?
- For standard play, whether a game is rated depends on the players and the event, so the tool does not decide it. For blitz and rapid it compares the effective time with the Handbook limits and tells you in plain words whether a game at that control can be rated.
- Can I enter a base time shorter than a minute?
- Yes. Type a decimal such as 0.5 for thirty seconds or 0,25 for fifteen. The base time must come to a whole number of seconds, so 0.333 is refused. The increment is a whole number of seconds, from zero up to the limit shown beside the field.
Want a plan for the games behind the numbers?
The first lesson reviews your games, reads your level and ends with a written study plan.