What is an ideal Time control for Weekend Swiss Tournaments

[John Brown]

I notice that no matter what weekend swiss you play in the time controls are never consistent.

Hart House uses what I feel for a 3 day event to be good.
Open and U2200 120 mins S/D with 30 sec increments.
U1900 and U1600 30/90 S/D 60
They give everyone a chance to use both digital and analog clocks potentially bringing in more players and most games finish in a timely manner.

Niagara Falls 5 Round We are going to use 90 mins S/D for rounds 1-3
and 30/90 S/D 60 for the final two rounds. No need for digital clocks here but players can use theirs if they desire.

At my PEEL events I give the players the option of using 2 HRS S/D or 90mins S/D with 30 sec increments so both digital or analog clocks can be used.

This year's Hamilton March Open 5 Rounds from what I can see is using 80 mins S/D with 30 sec increments. For all sections.
You need a digital clock to play in this event.
How many of us have digital clocks? Will the organizers be providing clocks for the boards without clocks?

I'd like some feed back from the higher rated as well as the lower rated group players to find out what they prefer. I have both clocks so I'm not effected by the costs of having to buy a new clock. But I do feel that unless organizers provide the digital clocks that they are turning away some potential players who either do not have a digital clock or just cannot afford it. When they set increments on all time controls.

One solution could be that if a prize winner does not have a digital clock then part of the prize money could be a digital clock or at least a discounted voucher to buy one at the local chess supplier.

[Alan Baljeu]

Re: What is an ideal Time control for Weekend Swiss Tournaments

G90 + 30 sec increment should be standard.

[Jonathan Berry]

Re: What is an ideal Time control for Weekend Swiss Tournaments

Game in (whatever) + 60 seconds per move. For example (whatever) = 80 for the annual Keres in greater Vancouver. Gibraltar used to have such a control, but they seem to have bowed to two-controls-and-30-second-increment pressure.

Having just the one control simplifies life for the TD. First, it minimizes time scrambles. In fact, there can be no true scrambles, as everybody has at least a minute. Second, elided is the spectre of somebody forgetting to set or missetting a secondary time control on the digital clock. There is no secondary time control.

"At least" 30 seconds was the original recommendation of IA Stewart Reuben, but he eventually preferred 60 seconds. Personally, I've noticed that 30 seconds (plus having to record the moves) is a difficult rhythm to adjust to. I played in a norm event, the Dake Memorial, where the tournament sponsor, the late Clark Harmon, having played in 30-increment events in Hungary, easily convinced us to change the increment to 5 seconds with recording not required. Other players acted as scribes. It was a long time ago, nobody thought to suggest 60 seconds, but that 5 seconds was judged to be better than 30 is telling.

With just a 30-second increment, you can eventually have games with peeing problems, such as the infamous Short-Krasenkow game from Tripoli. With 60 seconds, it's a lot easier to build up a time reserve prior to engaging in that frantic dash.

The knock against 60 is that a single game is more likely to delay the start of the next round / cause overtime at the site. Worth it, in my opinion.

True, 30 seconds has become the norm. Ordinary is not always best.

[Jonathan Berry]

Re: What is an ideal Time control for Weekend Swiss Tournaments

You need a digital clock to play in this event.
How many of us have digital clocks? Will the organizers be providing clocks for the boards without clocks?

Shouldn't be an issue in Ontario. The OCA has a raftload of digital clocks. That's the enduring legacy of the Thorvardson / Trillium thingie.

I think that TDs are capable of setting an equivalent non-incremental time control for those without digital clocks. In the old days, when there was the spectre of not having enough (analogue) clocks, TDs did what was necessary: started the game without a clock, and perhaps added one when it became available.

At the NBIO, 1994-1999, analogue clocks always had preference, which was regarded as quaint even then. More than a decade has passed. By now, digital should be the norm in every respect.

[Roger Patterson]

Re: What is an ideal Time control for Weekend Swiss Tournaments

....Gibraltar used to have such a control, but they seem to have bowed to two-controls-and-30-second-increment pressure.
......

so has the top section of the World Open (with other sections at the standard USCF 5 sec. delay).

Or for that matter, the upcoming Canadian Open top section.

I've heard that although FIDE currently accepts Game/90+30 for norm events, that this may soon change.

[Tony Ficzere]

Re: What is an ideal Time control for Weekend Swiss Tournaments

Shouldn't be an issue in Ontario. The OCA has a raftload of digital clocks. That's the enduring legacy of the Thorvardson / Trillium thingie.

I think that TDs are capable of setting an equivalent non-incremental time control for those without digital clocks. In the old days, when there was the spectre of not having enough (analogue) clocks, TDs did what was necessary: started the game without a clock, and perhaps added one when it became available.

At the NBIO, 1994-1999, analogue clocks always had preference, which was regarded as quaint even then. More than a decade has passed. By now, digital should be the norm in every respect.

I remember posting on chesstalk about a decade ago that by now, digital clocks would be the norm at Canadian tournaments. I seem to recall a few posters thinking I was insane?! Times and timing has changed.