Chess Set Station

Online chess clock

Pick a time control, tap your side after each move and watch the flag. Works on a phone laid flat between two players.

Time and mode settings

Tap your own side after you move. Space also passes the turn, P pauses. Before the first move, Black taps to start White's clock.

Quick answer. Choose a preset such as 10+5, press Space or tap your own side after each move, and the other clock starts. When one reaches zero, that player's flag has fallen.

How to use a chess clock

  1. Pick the time. Choose a preset such as 10+5 (10 minutes, 5 seconds per move) or type your own minutes and seconds.
  2. Start it. Black taps their side to start White's clock. After that, tap your own side (or press Space) as soon as you have moved.
  3. Watch for the flag. The side turns red below 30 seconds. At zero the flag falls and that player has run out of time.
Black4:12White (running)3:58
One side runs at a time. Moving passes the clock to your opponent.
Key takeaway. Increment adds time after your move; delay gives you a free countdown before your time starts to drop. Check which one your event uses.

Increment vs delay

ModeWhat happens each moveCan your time grow?
Increment (Fischer)A fixed number of seconds is added to your time after you move.Yes, if you move faster than the increment.
Simple delayThe clock waits for the delay before your main time starts to run down.No. Unused delay is lost.
Bronstein delayAfter you move, the time you used is added back, up to the delay amount.No. It only restores what you spent.

The FIDE Laws describe a clock with two displays where only one runs at a time, and list increment and delay (Bronstein) modes. Our descriptions of simple delay and Bronstein delay follow Wikipedia's chess clock article. Always follow the mode your tournament announces.

Rules at a glance

RuleSummarySource
Two displays, one runningPressing your side stops your clock and starts your opponent's.FIDE Laws, Article 6
Flag fallA player who does not complete the required moves in the allotted time loses, unless the opponent can't checkmate by any legal series of moves, in which case it is a draw.FIDE Laws, Article 6.9
When a flag countsIt counts as fallen when the arbiter sees it or a player makes a valid claim.FIDE Laws, Article 6.8

Common time controls

PresetNameTypical use
1+0BulletVery fast online games
3+2, 5+0, 5+3BlitzClub and online play
10+5, 15+10RapidCasual and rapid events
30+0, 90+30ClassicalLong games (90+30 is a common classical control)

Buying a physical clock? See our chess clock buying guide.

Frequently asked questions

How do I use a chess clock?
Set the time, then press your own side after each move. That stops your clock and starts your opponent's. Black normally starts White's clock at the beginning.
What does 5+3 mean on a chess clock?
Each player gets 5 minutes plus 3 seconds added after every move (an increment).
What is the difference between increment and delay?
Increment adds seconds to your clock after you move, so your time can grow. Delay holds your clock still for a set time at the start of your turn, so your time can't grow.
What is Bronstein delay?
After you move, the time you used is added back up to the delay amount. Your clock never goes above where it started your turn.
What happens when the flag falls?
The player whose time reaches zero loses the game unless the opponent can't checkmate by any series of legal moves, which is a draw (FIDE Laws, Article 6.9).
Does this clock work offline?
Once the page has loaded it needs no connection, because the timing runs in your browser. Keep the tab open.
Will my phone screen stay on?
Where your browser supports the Screen Wake Lock feature, the screen stays on while the clock runs. If it doesn't, change your phone's auto-lock setting.

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Last checked: . We read these sources when writing this page:

FIDE Article 2 gives the starting position as a diagram; the piece-by-piece placement in words comes from the Wikipedia rules page, which matches the diagram.

US Chess rules and Britannica could not be read (HTTP 403) on the check date, so they are not cited.

Equipment sizes: FIDE figures are read from the FIDE Handbook page. US Chess figures come from a club FAQ and a US Chess forum thread quoting the rulebook, because the rulebook text itself was not readable; check the current US Chess rulebook before buying for a rated event.