What is the best (money is no object) electronic chess clock?

What electronic chess clock is most often used in rated tournaments?

Should I get an analog chess clock as well?

Enquiring minds want to know!

"ChessSlave 2000" wrote:
What is the best (money is no object) electronic chess clock?

Chronos.

What electronic chess clock is most often used in rated tournaments?

Chronos.

Should I get an analog chess clock as well?

No.

Bill Smythe

Bill Smythe says...

"ChessSlave 2000" wrote:

What is the best (money is no object) electronic chess clock?

Chronos.

What electronic chess clock is most often used in rated tournaments?

Chronos.

Chronos Game Timer I or Chronos Game Timer II?

On Wed, 21 Jul 2004 15:28:12 -0700, ChessSlave 2000 wrote:

|
|What is the best (money is no object) electronic chess clock?
|
|What electronic chess clock is most often used in rated tournaments?
|
|Should I get an analog chess clock as well?
|
|Enquiring minds want to know!
|

I'm a little surprised no one else has responded to this. rgcm and rgcc
are usually full of opinions on the subject. Maybe everyone else thinks
you are a troll, I dunno.

When I was at the Virginia Closed tournament in Charlottesville a few
years ago, by far the most popular clock I saw there was the Chronos.
It's digital. It has more features than you will probably use, all sorts
of timing modes, display modes, and options to set. I am extremely
pleased with mine.

Some people think it is ugly; I don't. With just three buttons, you may
want to keep your user manual with the clock to remind you how to do
what you want with it.

Should you get an analog? Depends on what you want it for. If you can
think of something an analog can do for you which a digital cannot, then
go for it.

David J Bush says...

ChessSlave 2000 wrote:

|What is the best (money is no object) electronic chess clock?
|
|What electronic chess clock is most often used in rated tournaments?
|
|Should I get an analog chess clock as well?
|
|Enquiring minds want to know!
|

I'm a little surprised no one else has responded to this. rgcm and rgcc
are usually full of opinions on the subject. Maybe everyone else thinks
you are a troll, I dunno.

Nope. Just an old fart who hasn't been in a tournament since the
1960's, wishes to start again, has plenty of cash, and is buying
all new equipement.

When I was at the Virginia Closed tournament in Charlottesville a few
years ago, by far the most popular clock I saw there was the Chronos.

Chronos Game Timer I or Chronos Game Timer II?

It's digital. It has more features than you will probably use, all sorts
of timing modes, display modes, and options to set. I am extremely
pleased with mine.

Is yours a Chronos Game Timer I or Chronos Game Timer II?

Some people think it is ugly; I don't. With just three buttons, you may
want to keep your user manual with the clock to remind you how to do
what you want with it.

Should you get an analog? Depends on what you want it for. If you can
think of something an analog can do for you which a digital cannot, then
go for it.

I was thinking that there might be situations where I would not be
allowed to use a digital. If you tell me that all organizers accept
them, I won't need an analog clock.

May I assume that the Excalibur "USCF Chess Clock II" and the
DGT "FIDE Clock" are just marketing hype?

You can't go wrong with the Chronos. Though, the new, touch sensitive
button is a little odd and I don't particularly like it. The ability to
actually push a button still appeals to me. Also, the touch sensitive
button can't be "pushed" with the piece you just captured, you actually have
to use your finger to touch the pad.

I have a Chronos and am happy with it, but it is absolutely the most
complicated thing ever made. Totally ridiculous on how complicated they
made it. You can't go wrong buying one though.

I have just ordered two other clocks to test them out. The Phileon Digital
Clock has already arrived and I can't recommend it. It doesn't have the
delay feature we use in the USA, only Fischer Increment is used on that
clock. Also, user settings are not saved and to reset the clock and play
another game, you have to turn the clock off and back on. This makes
playing handicap time odds stupidly complicated.

The Chess Club Timer II Digital clock has not arrived yet. When it does,
I'll post my recommendation about it on this post.

The Excalibur USCF clock is total crap. I own two and wouldn't give them
away because they are such worthless timers.

The DGT I don't have much experience with.

"ChessSlave 2000" wrote:
Chronos Game Timer I or Chronos Game Timer II?

Are they both still available? You'll probably have to get the II.

I have never used the II, but apparently its main difference from the I is
the touch-sensitive buttons. Personally, I don't think I'd like that, but
others say it's just fine.

Bill Smythe

"ChessSlave 2000" wrote:
.... Just an old fart who hasn't been in a tournament since the
1960's, wishes to start again, has plenty of cash, and is buying
all new equipement. ....

If you haven't played recently, be advised of some rule changes:

Most tournaments now end in sudden death controls. I think these first came
into being in the late 1970s. For example, instead of 40/120, then 20/60,
then 20/60 indefinitely, typically you'll now find 40/120, then SD/60 (all
your remaining moves in 60 minutes).

Because of this, a 5-second delay is now standard. Set your Chronos (or
other electronic) clock so that 5 seconds elapse on each move before your
main time begins counting down. That way, if you get into an easily drawn
position over the board, you won't lose on time, because surely you could
then make each move in 5 seconds or less.

This, in turn, means that delay-capable clocks are considered preferred
equipment. If you bring your Chronos and your opponent brings a clock of an
older design, you have the right to insist on using your clock, provided you
set it for the 5-second delay.

.... I was thinking that there might be situations where I would not be
allowed to use a digital. If you tell me that all organizers accept
them, I won't need an analog clock. ....

You can ALWAYS use a digital, under current rules.

Bill Smythe

"ChessSlave 2000" wrote:
.... May I assume that the Excalibur "USCF Chess Clock II" and the
DGT "FIDE Clock" are just marketing hype? ....

Recent specimens of the Excalibur are pretty decent, but I still prefer the
Chronos. Don't acquire a used Excalibur, however. Those older ones had
clunky, noisy, sometimes unreliable buttons.

The DGT is popular world-wide, but I have never been able to figure out why.

Bill Smythe

Replied inline

"ChessSlave 2000" wrote in message
...

What is the best (money is no object) electronic chess clock?

Living in Australia, our club has purchased the DGT 2000 digital chess
clocks. These are also the same clocks that is used in the current
Victorian Winter Interclub tournament, as well as for the upcoming 2004
Victorian State Championship and Reserves Tournament. Being a DOP for a few
club tournaments, they are easy to set up, the displays are easily read, and
from a player's perspective, if you are away from the board looking at other
games in progress, as I often do, you can glimpse at the clock from a few
metres away and be able to visually tell if you clock is running from the
position of the tumbler. Here is a link for more details if you are
interested http://www.dgtprojects.com/clock_dgt2000.htm
As for the Chronos and the Excalibur clocks, never used them, or even seen
them over here. I am sure they pretty much all do the same thing, but I can
definetly reccoment the DGT clocks.

What electronic chess clock is most often used in rated tournaments?

Here in Australia, the above mentioned DGT clocks

Should I get an analog chess clock as well?

No need to. Unless you like the continual ticking noise of the analouge
clocks, which I must admit I do miss, but even then, it wouldn't justify it.

DFG