Guy Macon http://www.guymacon.com/ wrote:
For comparison, let's start with a 40/120, D/60 time control with a
USCF-Style delay of 5 seconds.

Replace the USCF-style the delay with a Fischer increment (meaning 5
seconds are added to your clock when you hit the button rather than
the clock waiting 5 seconds before starting to count down -- the
difference being that with a Fischer delay you can gain time by
moving quickly).

Your `USCF-style delay' is usually credited to David Bronstein, rather
than the USCF.

Now replace the 40/120, D/60 with SD/10 or SD/20, but with the
Fischer delay set to 3 minutes.

Are people not already doing this? Starting with only twenty minutes
on the clock seems a bit short for serious games, even with a
three-minute increment, but the basic idea is very sound.

This, of course, wouldn't make matches end by the next round, but
when playing a club game or a game at work, it would avoid the
rather artificial "race until the time control changes then relax"
effect.

At work, I don't have time for six-hour games of chess!


Dave.

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