Chess Clock: How to Choose a Digital Clock (2026 Guide)

The chess clock (also known as a chess timer or stopclock) is an essential tool for any official game. It guarantees fairness by limiting each player’s thinking time. Whether you play 3-minute blitz or 2-hour classical games, understanding time controls and choosing the right clock will make a real difference to your game.

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Why use a chess clock?

Without a time limit, a player in a losing position could think indefinitely. The clock solves this problem by giving each player an identical time allowance. When a player makes their move, they press their clock button, which stops their own clock and starts their opponent’s. A player who runs out of time loses the game on time.

Official time controls

Time control	Time per player	Character	Use
Bullet	1 to 2 minutes	Ultra-fast, pure reflexes	Mainly online
Blitz	3 to 5 minutes	Fast, intuitive	Clubs, online, tournaments
Rapid	15 to 60 minutes	Moderate thinking time	FIDE rapid tournaments
Classical	60 to 120+ minutes	In-depth thinking time	Official championships

FIDE regulations: In classical time control, the standard is 90 minutes for the first 40 moves, then 30 minutes for the rest of the game, with a 30-second increment per move from move one.

The increment: a safeguard against time trouble

The increment (or bonus time) is extra time added after each move played. For example, in a “3+2” time control, each player starts with 3 minutes and receives an extra 2 seconds after every move. This system, introduced by Bobby Fischer (hence the name “Fischer increment”), prevents games from being decided purely on speed of execution towards the end.

Tip for beginners: For your first club games, choose a 15+10 time control (15 minutes + 10-second increment). It offers enough time to think without the game dragging on too long. It is the ideal time control for improving your play.

Digital versus analogue clocks

Digital clock

Precise display down to the second
Automatic increment management
Multiple programmable time controls
Essential for modern tournaments
Budget: from €50 to €150 depending on the model

Analogue clock

Classic, elegant appearance
No batteries required (mechanical)
No increment management
Suited to casual and decorative play
Budget: €40 to €150

FIDE approval: which models should you choose?

For official tournaments, the clock must be approved by FIDE. The reference models are the DGT 2010 (the most widely used in international tournaments), the DGT 3000 (larger screen) and the DGT 2500. These clocks handle all Fischer and Bronstein time controls, as well as multi-period controls.

Budget and recommendations

Use	Recommended model	Good to know
Beginner / casual	Smartphone app	Free, good for trying it out
Club / training	DGT 1001 or DGT 1500	One time per player, or six modes including Fischer
Official tournaments	DGT 2010	FIDE’s official clock, 22 preset time controls
Tournaments and electronic chess boards	DGT 3000	Connects to DGT electronic chess boards