About the Chess Clock
This online chess clock turns your phone, tablet or laptop into a two-player game timer. Set the minutes per player and an increment or delay, tap Start, and each player taps their own side after moving to start the opponent’s clock. The clock counts moves, flags a player who runs out of time, and can be paused at any moment — handy for casual games, club nights and coaching sessions when you do not have a physical clock.
It supports the three timing methods used in over-the-board chess: Fischer increment (a fixed bonus added after every move, as in 3+2 blitz), Bronstein delay (you get back the time you used, up to the delay), and simple or US delay (your clock waits a few seconds before it starts counting). It also works for Go, Scrabble, shogi, board games and debates — anything with two sides taking turns.
Below the clock, the time-control calculator shows how long a game can last and which category it falls into using the Lichess rule: estimated duration = starting time + 40 × increment. A 5+3 game, for example, is estimated at 420 seconds and counts as blitz.
How to use the chess clock
- 1Choose a preset or enter the minutes per player and the increment or delay.
- 2Pick the timing method: Fischer increment, Bronstein delay, simple delay or none.
- 3Press Start, then each player taps their own side (or presses Space) after moving.
- 4Use Pause to stop both clocks and Reset to start a new game with the settings shown.
- 5A side turns red when its time runs out — that player has lost on time.
Formula and method
With Fischer increment, the increment is added to your clock after each move you complete, so time can build up if you move quickly. With Bronstein delay you get back the time you just used, up to the delay amount, so your clock can never rise above where it started the move. With simple (US) delay, the clock waits for the delay before it starts counting down each move.
Lichess classifies a time control by its estimated game duration: initial seconds plus 40 times the increment, assuming a 40-move game. Up to 29 s is UltraBullet, up to 179 s Bullet, up to 479 s Blitz, up to 1,499 s Rapid, and 1,500 s or more Classical. The maximum time one player can use is the starting time plus the increment or delay for every move played.
- initial
- Starting time per player in seconds
- increment
- Seconds added (or delayed) per move
- moves
- Moves each player makes
Worked examples
5+3 blitz
Five minutes is 300 seconds; adding 40 × 3 = 120 seconds gives an estimated 420 seconds, which is between 180 and 479 — blitz. Over 40 moves each player can use at most 7 minutes, so the game lasts at most 14 minutes.
15+10 rapid over 60 moves
The estimate is 900 + 40 × 10 = 1,300 seconds (rapid). If the game goes 60 moves each, a player can use up to 900 + 600 = 1,500 seconds, so both clocks together could run 50 minutes.
1-minute bullet, no increment
A 1+0 game is estimated at 60 seconds, above the 29-second UltraBullet limit and below 180 seconds, so it is bullet chess.
Frequently asked questions
How does a chess clock work?+
Each player has their own countdown. After you make your move you press your button, which stops your clock and starts your opponent’s. If your time reaches zero you lose on time, unless your opponent cannot possibly checkmate.
What does 5+3 mean in chess?+
It means each player starts with 5 minutes and gains 3 seconds after every move they make (Fischer increment). The first number is the starting time in minutes and the second is the increment in seconds.
What is the difference between increment and delay?+
Increment adds time after each move, so your clock can grow. Delay only protects you: with simple delay your clock waits a few seconds before counting, and with Bronstein delay you get back the time used up to the delay, so it never goes above where it started.
What time control is blitz, rapid or bullet?+
On Lichess, games estimated at up to 179 seconds (start + 40 × increment) are bullet, up to 479 seconds blitz, up to 1,499 seconds rapid and longer games classical. FIDE counts the starting time plus 60 × increment: 10 minutes or less is blitz, and more than 10 but less than 60 minutes is rapid.
Who presses the clock first in chess?+
In over-the-board play Black starts White’s clock at the beginning of the game. On this clock, the first tap starts the other side’s timer, so the player with Black taps first.
Can I use this as a timer for other games?+
Yes. Any two-sided turn-based game works — Go, Scrabble, checkers, shogi, backgammon, debate practice or speed board games. Set the time and use sudden death if your game has no increment.