The US Chess rulebook sometimes uses the term “delay clock” when it really means any “digital clock” (which includes clocks with out without delay and/or increment capability) and sometimes it uses a term such as “digital or delay clock” when just using the term “digital clock” would be more clear. We should update these references to just say “digital clock” to be consistent with the rest of the rulebook.
16G. Premature flag fall.
a. With an analog clock, if a clear white space shows between the right side of the minute hand of the clock and the left side of the 12 marker on the clock’s face, the flag is considered to have fallen prematurely.
b. With a delay clock , if the device used to indicate that a player’s time is exhausted is activated, due to an incorrect or defective move counter, an incorrect setting, or a defect (16O) of any kind, the flag is considered to have fallen prematurely. Since the move counters, on clocks equipped with them, may not be used as the only evidence in claiming that the prescribed number of moves were not completed in the allotted time (13C), both players’ scoresheets may be used as evidence of an incorrect or defective delay clock ."
16H. Apparent flag fall can cause forfeit.
a. Analog clock: even though it may seem that the flag (5G) fell early, if the clear white space described in 16Ga is not apparent, the player’s time has expired.
TD TIP: For instance, if the right side of the minute hand is touching the left side of the hour marker, even though it may not reach to the center of that marker, the time has been used up. Players should realize that this possibility exists and should refrain from using all their apparent time if not essential.
b. Delay clock : because each delay clock manufacturer applies the delay and flag fall procedures in slightly different ways, it may then appear that the flag fell early as described in 16Gb; however, the player’s time has expired.
16P. Erroneously set clocks.
An erroneously set clock should be handled in the same fashion as a defective clock. As in 16O, the director should use judgment in deciding whether to make time adjustments. The most common situation of this type involves an analog clock set to expire at 7:00 rather than the correct 6:00. This is best handled by pointing out to both players that the time control expires at 7:00. Clocks can also be reset for the correct time controls and the correct elapsed time for each player. Sometimes this hour difference is not pointed out and there is an eventual time claim. Even though the clock may show 6:00 with a flag down, or the signaling device on a delay or digital clock indicates a flag fall, if the total elapsed time shown for both players is about an hour more than possible, considering when the game started, the player should not be forfeited, and should be given the hour in question.
TD TIP: Often digital and delay clocks are a challenge to set properly. The director should use judgment in deciding if a digital or delay clock was set improperly deliberately, or inadvertently. Adding two minutes to the injured player’s unused time should penalize deliberate incorrect settings. In either case the error(s) should be corrected. If the players cannot adjust the digital or delay clock properly then an analog clock with the proper settings may be used instead. A few common errors in setting digital and delay clocks : (1) using the “Fischer” instead of the proper “Bronstein” setting, (2) secondary sudden death time controls that are set improperly or not at all, and (3) inaccurate move counters.
16U. Avoiding the need to reset clocks.
It is recommended for analog clocks that secondary and subsequent time controls allow one hour per player so that the minute hand will be at twelve (12:00) and the flag will fall when the player’s time expires. This avoids the need to reset clocks and the problems sometimes caused by resetting. The latter include questions or disputes about player resetting, directors being diverted from other duties to reset, time shortage situations with no flags when players forget to reset, and players whose flags have just fallen resetting the clock before the opponent claims a forfeit win. Check the manufacture’s manual for instructions on properly setting a delay clock to reset automatically after the end of the first time control.
Perhaps the term “seconds-precise” would be even better than “digital”.
Define a clock as “seconds-precise” if you can always tell, within 1 second, at least during the final 5 minutes, exactly how many seconds of main time remain. Then “seconds-precise” becomes the point of all those rules.
Bill Smythe
Perhaps the term “seconds-precise” would be even better than “digital”.
Define a clock as “seconds-precise” if you can always tell, within 1 second, at least during the final 5 minutes, exactly how many seconds of main time remain. Then “seconds-precise” becomes the point of all those rules.
Bill Smythe
It’s theoretically possible that an analog clock could be “seconds-precise” but the rules that I quoted above that use the term “delay clock” are just referring to a digital clock and not an analog clock, even if the analog clock is “seconds-precise”. Also, “seconds-precise” isn’t a known term and I can see it just confusing people.