It is no secret that people often get carried away while playing board games, and chess is not an exception. So when the game gets serious enough, there will be an issue with time. Each player’s time to make a move has to be monitored and regulated somehow, otherwise the game can go on indefinitely. That’s where a chess timer will certainly come in handy.
Now, you might think those are only for professional use, but that’s not really the case. A chess clock can be extremely beneficial to anyone who wants to up their game, and many chess sets UK have them as a matching feature. But how do they help an amateur player?
The secret is just the right amount of stress. We all think that stress is bad for the body and mind, and rightfully so, but there are different correlations between long term and short term stress vs. the level of overall performance. Basically, if you are introduced to a high level of stress for an extended period of time, your body responds negatively.
But once it experiences a low rise in stress, for a short period of time, your performance benefits from it. Once you are required to not only make a decent move but also do it in a limited time frame, your stress level will rise just the right amount. That is the key factor in how a chess timer can give your brain that extra kick and make it work harder to achieve a positive result!
As we mentioned earlier, a chess timer is aimed at keeping track of the overall time that takes each player of a chess match to make a move. One of its purposes is also ensuring that the players don’t delay the game too much. Chess timers are not designed only for chess but also for any other two-player games where the participants make their moves in turn.
Which chess timer to choose?
If you are a true lover of chess and carry out frequent mini-tournaments with your friends or family members, then a chess clock is a must for you. It will make the game more fun and the results more accurate. Any proper handmade wooden chess board requires an equally compatible, beautifully designed wooden chess clock.
At the Kaoori store, you will be able to find the best chess sets UK has to offer and also handmade wooden chess clocks of different classy designs and colours. Here are some of the chess clock types that Kaoori masters offer (there are also usual ones if you don’t want a wooden chess clock):
BHB Chess Clock Dark without a Stand
BHB Chess Clock Large Dark (Light)
Blitz Chess Clock
Classic Chess Clocks
DGT 1001 Chess Clock White
DGT 960 Pocket Timer
DGT Easy Black Beyond Chess Clock
All of the above-mentioned chess clocks come with beautiful and eye-catching designs and high durability that will serve you for a long time, as will the chess sets UK. If you are on the fence about choosing an analog or a digital timer, consider not only their technical parameters but also your purpose.
If the purpose is recreational, and you are going to use only the basic timing option, purchase the one that will go with your chess set and complement it well. If you are looking for advanced accuracy and more timing options, you might want to consider a digital one, regardless of the chessboard you have at hand.
How did the chess clock come about?
Nowadays any frequent chess player constantly uses a chess clock, but it wasn’t the case originally. As we know, chess was born more than a thousand years ago. But for centuries, it remained just a pastime, and people didn’t take it as seriously as they do today. Hence, there was no issue at all when it came to timing it. People didn’t really bother with chess tournaments either.
But the situation shifted in the 19th century when chess became very mainstream. Since the first international chess tournament was organized in1851 in England, people don’t get enough of these tournaments, and, naturally, the timing issue becomes more and more intense. At first, people in competitions used sand clocks to control the time, but the necessity to come up with something more efficient was pressing. So the supply followed the demand.
For the first time, a chess clock was used in a chess tournament in London in 1883. Previously, they were also known as game clocks. Nowadays, they are an essential part of any chess tournament. They are also used by amateur players who love to create an air of professionalism and competition.
How does the chess timer actually work?
There are a few different timing methods that most of the chess clocks use. If you don’t know the difference, keep reading, hopefully, we’ll clarify it for you.
1) Increment (also known as Fischer and Bonus): This method implies adding a specific amount of time for each move, e.g., if a given increment is thirty seconds, it means that each of the players will receive additional thirty seconds for each move.
2) Bronstein Delay: In this case, a certain amount of additional time is also granted to the players, but it does not have to be the maximum amount of time. It mainly depends on the exact amount of the delay time of the player.
3) Simple Delay or Countdown Delay (also known as the US Delay): This timing method means that the clock will wait for the delay period for each move before the base time starts. E.g., if the delay time is 10 seconds, the clock will wait for 10 seconds for each move before the base time begins to go down. This timing method is mathematically equivalent to the previous type of timing method and is commonplace in the US.
All the methods mentioned above are for professional players, but you can use one of these methods for improving your chess skills and for having a more professional game at your house.
Chess clocks are a great way of making your chess game more interesting and intriguing. They help you train your brain to react faster and more efficiently, and you’ll feel the results in your game and not only!
Choose one of Kaoori’s top chess clocks and enjoy the game to the fullest.
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