I need to practice using a 5 second time delay for playing in USCF
over the board games. I do not need 5 seconds for each move added to
my existing time, but rather a staightforward delay of 5 seconds
before my clock starts ticking down. (The Chronos manual calls this
"Andante Mode".) I tried setting up games using this delay in both
Chess Assistant and Shredder, but have not been able to get either to
work properly.

In CA, I select Engines | Play against an Engine | Play from starting
position | Change time control .... from there I have tried two
things: 1. Level type: Predefined | Time per move | 5 seconds/move;
2. User level | Time per move | Hours 0, Minutes 0, Seconds 5.
In both cases the result is the same: I start playing the game, but
rather than counting down, the clock simply increases my time when it
is my move, and also increases the computer opponent's time when it is
it's move. So both times simply increase, never decrease, accumulating
time. There is no indication whatsoever of 5 seconds in any form at
all.

In CA I also tried setting the User level | Time per game to 1 minute
with an increment of 5 seconds. This simply adds 5 seconds per move to
my total time, although at least the time available decreases when it
should.

In Shredder, I select Game | Levels | Fixed time | Time per move 5.
Then I start the game and the results are exactly the same as the
first case in Chess Assistant -- the time increases and continues to
accumulate.

I would appreciate any guidance about how to set these programs so
that I can practice with a 5 second time delay. Or, if they do not
support such a delay, will someone tell me a program that can?

TIA

chessplayer wrote:
I need to practice using a 5 second time delay for playing in USCF
over the board games. I do not need 5 seconds for each move added to
my existing time, but rather a staightforward delay of 5 seconds
before my clock starts ticking down. (The Chronos manual calls this
"Andante Mode".) I tried setting up games using this delay in both
Chess Assistant and Shredder, but have not been able to get either to
work properly.

Just out of interest, why do you want to do this? I'm afraid I can't
help with your question but you've piqued by curiosity.


Dave.
--
David Richerby Flammable Adult Gerbil (TM): it's
www.chiark.greenend.org.uk/~davidr/ like a children's pet that you won't
want the children to see but it burns
really easily!