First Clock?

You have played a chess game with a chess clock.

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You have played a chess game with a chess clock.

What is a chess clock?

You make your move and press your button, and now your opponent's time ticks away. A chess clock is two clocks in one box, and only one of them runs at a time. Most tournaments are played this way. A clock teaches you to make up your mind: look, think, pick a move, press.

 

How it works

  • White's clock is the first one to run.
  • Make your move, then press the clock with the same hand that moved.
  • Press the button gently, not hard like a drum.
  • If your clock reaches zero, you lose the game, and players call this flagging.
  • Here is one exception: your clock hits zero, but your opponent has only a king left. Then it is a draw, because a lone king cannot checkmate.
  • Many clocks add a few seconds to your time after every move. Bobby Fischer, a world champion, invented that.

Old clocks had a little flag that fell down when the time was up. That is where the word flagging comes from.

 

How much time?

Chess games are played at three speeds. Blitz gives each player 10 minutes or less, and rapid gives more than 10 but less than 60. Classical is the slow one, with 60 minutes or more for each player. For your first games, start with 10 or 15 minutes each. The World Blitz Championship gives each player three minutes, plus two seconds a move. Magnus Carlsen has won it more times than anyone.

 

Where do I find a clock?

Most clubs and school chess groups have clocks, so ask the grown-up who runs yours. If there is no club near you, a grown-up who plays chess may own a clock. Chess days at a library have clocks too. This sticker is for a real chess clock, and a timer on a phone does not count. Any real board counts, whether it is on a kitchen table, in a classroom or at a tournament. Coach's tip: look at the clock after you press it, not while you think.

 

How you get the sticker

Tell your grown-up or coach where you played, and how much time each player had. A photo of the board and the clock is good to show them. Your grown-up or coach checks it and hands you the sticker. If you have no club yet, your grown-up at home checks it. Did you play with a clock before you had the passport? It still counts.