Skip to content
TheChessWorld.com
TheChessWorld Facebook TheChessWorld Twitter TheChessWorld Pinterest TheChessWorld YouTube
  • Start Here
  • Play
  • Learn
    • Training Techniques
    • Openings
    • Middlegame
    • Endgames
    • General Information
  • Tournaments
  • Academy
  • 21-Day Course
  • Store
    • TheChessWorld
    • TCW Academy
    • iChess
    • Chess-Teacher
    • Modern Chess
    • Roman Chess Lab
    • Foxy Chess
    • Grandmaster Magazine
    • ChessLecture
    • ICC
    • Rules Chess Strategies
    • Improve My Chess
    • Others
  • Contact
TheChessWorld.com
Close

5 Tips to Help You Save Time on the Clock

WGM Raluca Sgîrcea, IM Renier Castellanos
WGM Raluca Sgîrcea, IM Renier Castellanos
11.08.2019
Category: Training Techniques
Tags: calculate, chess tips, clock, openings, thinking, Time, training games,
5 Tips to Help You Save Time on the Clock

Playing well and having a good chess understanding is what every chess player is looking for. However, when it comes to practice this is not the only thing that matters. While when you are training there is no time limit on the exercises you solve and the themes that your learn, during a tournament you have a very stressing piece of equipment at the side of the board – a chess clock. This means that even if your play is good, bad management of the time you spend on your moves will eventually lead to time trouble when bad moves can easily happen.

There are players who play well under pressure, with the most notorious example being the top Grandmaster Aleksander Grischuk, for whom playing with little time on the clock is usually normal, but even for him, things have not gone totally smooth. The best thing to do is to avoid such situations and save time for the important moments of the game when you will surely need it.

There are players who don’t normally get into time trouble, but if you are not one of them, here are some useful tips that can help you solve this issue in your future games:

1.Know your openings

This may be obvious, but it is amazing how many players spend half of their time or even more on the first 15-20 moves when they should still be on theoretical grounds. The main reason for this is that they are our of book or don’t know the lines well and try to remember the moves over the board. This is usually even more dangerous than the first situation, but none should happen ideally. Study well your openings and make sure you know your lines.

2.Study your opponent’s games and decide on the opening before the game starts

This is the second reason why some players spend more time than they should in the opening. If you have a wider opening repertoire and you need to decide what you are going to play, it is best to do so beforehand and (almost) blitz out the moves when you get to the game.

3.Know when to think

Not every move requires spending a lot of time and not every move requires calculation. This is perhaps one of the common mistakes club players make – trying to calculate every move, even if it’s not necessary. Some positions can be played by strategic concepts, which involve very little calculation – just make sure you don’t blunder anything and you’re usually good to go. Learn to recognize these moments and you will save yourself a lot of time on the clock.

4.Don’t over-calculate

When you get to a moment where you do have to calculate, it’s important that you don’t over-do it either.

What do we mean by that?

If you see sacrifice, for example, it’s only normal that you start calculating. Make sure you take into account all your opponent’s answers, but you don’t have to calculate until mate either. If after a few moves you see that you win material or you assess that your attack is devastating, there’s no need to calculate another 10 moves ahead. Don’t stop too soon in a calculation, but know when to stop too.

5.Play training games

Sometimes bad management of the time is simply due to being out of shape. If you haven’t played in a while, it is normal that you over-think your moves and tend to get into time trouble. To avoid this, it is a good idea to play some training games before your tournament. It can be rapid games online or with a friend, but make sure you get back in touch with chess before your competition.

Find this post useful? Share it?
Become a Chess Player You've Meant to Be!
TCW Academy is the fast, fun & convenient way to become a MUCH better chess player.
Join Academy Today!

Related Posts

  • 5 Ways to Improve Your Clock Management5 Ways to Improve Your Clock Management
  • Learning from the Legends – Henrique MeckingLearning from the Legends – Henrique Mecking
  • Unleashing the Rossolimo Attack with FM Zaur Tekeyev [TCW Academy]Unleashing the Rossolimo Attack with FM Zaur Tekeyev [TCW Academy]
Related Products
0 0 votes
Article Rating
Login
0 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
Join the FREE Road to 2200 Masterclass (and learn how to Attack Like a Chess Master)
We value your privacy
Supercharge Your Chess in 21 Days!
Join Academy Today!
TheChessWorld.com
http://pogonina.com/
Company
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • F.A.Q.
  • Partnership
  • Blog
  • Grandmasters
  • Jobs
Chess Resources
  • TCW Academy
  • The Store
  • 21 Day Course
Top Resources
  • Opening Lab
  • Mastermind
  • Chess Mastery Series
  • Academy
100% Secure Purchase
Customer Support +1 (410) 656-9104
Email Us [email protected]
Contact Us
Facebook Twitter Mail Pinterest Youtube
Copyright 2007-2023 • TheChessWorld.com • All Rights Reserved
Cookie Policy | Acceptable Use Policy | Privacy Policy | Terms and Conditions
We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of all the cookies.
Cookie SettingsAccept
Manage consent

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
CookieDurationDescription
cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional11 monthsThe cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-others11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
viewed_cookie_policy11 monthsThe cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
Functional
Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
Performance
Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
Analytics
Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
Advertisement
Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
Others
Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet.
SAVE & ACCEPT
wpDiscuz
wpDiscuz