Technology has reached chess as well and now you have a choice between analog and digital chess clocks. Digital chess clocks were first manufactured in the 1960s in Kyiv. The first digital clocks appeared in tournaments in 1973 and they were made by Cornell University student Bruce Cheney. In 1988, a man named Bobby Fischer invented a new digital chess clock that gave each player a fixed period of time at the start of the game and gradually added a small amount of time after each move.
To this day the Fisher digital chess clocks are considered as one of the best in the market.
The differences between analog and digital chess clocks are not that big. They both serve the same purpose and it comes down to your personal taste. If you want something more old-school and good-looking than an analog chess clock is the better choice for you. On the other hand, if you don’t care about the looks and you need a practical timer then go with digital chess clocks. Here are some other benefits of dgt chess clocks for you to take into account.
Analog chess clocks use mechanical elements and are usually made of wood, so they tend to be expensive. Whereas, digital chess clocks use a relatively simple technology and are often made of plastic, so they are more affordable. But keep in mind that digital chess clocks work with batteries and you will need to change them frequently, so technically that’s an added expense.
With analog chess clocks, you can set only one specified time limit per game. Whereas digital clocks are more flexible and can be easily changed to allow for players to have incremental time limits. Depending on the game, these limits can either increase or decrease. Let’s say there is a very competitive game going and you want to give the players some extra time to think. With analog chess clocks, you won’t be able to make any changes but dgt chess clocks will allow you to add 30 seconds of time to incrementally increase in order to take some of the tension and stress off the players. Similarly, if you want to make the game more difficult and challenging, you can decrease the time incrementally.
Due to the technology that they use, digital clocks are accurate down to the last second. Analog clocks, on the other hand, can’t specify the exact amount of time the players have as precisely. For time-based games like blitz chess, rapid chess or bullet chess, this level of accuracy is extremely important and it may play a decisive role in the result of the game.
The numerical style of digital clocks makes them more convenient for chess players. It allows them to see the time limit of each term at a glance. In this sense, the difference between digital and analog chess clocks is a matter of seconds but in a game when time is crucial, even one second can’t be wasted.
Appearance might not be your top priority but just for you to know, Kaoori has a variety of digital chess clocks that differ in style, color and size. So, if you want a dgt chess clock that matches your set, you’ll for sure find it at Kaoori!