Clock Bangers

[Ian Thompson]

The mechanical ones were perfection and the worst that could happen was it needing would up if something went wrong, or fetch a new clock.

I would say that clocks not keeping accurate time is worse, particularly if one clock is running fast and the other slow, so the total elapsed time shown by the two clocks is about right.

Least the dead clock would have the correct reading of time spent on it.

Only if you notice that it's stopped the moment that happens and only if it was keeping accurate time up to the point it stopped, which may not be the case.

[Derek Sinclair]

The mechanical ones were perfection and the worst that could happen was it needing would up if something went wrong, or fetch a new clock.

I would say that clocks not keeping accurate time is worse, particularly if one clock is running fast and the other slow, so the total elapsed time shown by the two clocks is about right.

Least the dead clock would have the correct reading of time spent on it.

Only if you notice that it's stopped the moment that happens and only if it was keeping accurate time up to the point it stopped, which may not be the case.

I'm sure the clocks are accurate enough for a league match, seemed to work fine for decades. Also new clocks not long out the box should be accurate for a good while - well until their springs are all bust from all the thumping

[Ian Paternoster]

I was in a tournament once, where the player opposite me punched his clock before moving his piece. I mentioned the incident to the captain, only to be told, get on with the game and stop moaning.

[Derek Sinclair]

analogue is the way to go. more durable and look nicer plus don't have to worry about batteries.

[John Upham]

analogue is the way to go. more durable and look nicer plus don't have to worry about batteries.

Derek,

Following on from your recommendation I am petitioning one of my clubs to use the type of analogue clock as show below rather than replace them with ugly DGT 3000s which are far too reliable and quiet for my liking. Also I don't like their habit of clearly letting players know their remaining time and I'd much rather it was vague and inaccurate.

The one below is especially suited to blitz and bullet time controls and even has an hour glass feature which the juniors love.

I have modified the mechanism of the ones below to allow for Fischer increments and a move counter. I can also link them to a DGT e-board to put our matches online:

JB5_1533.JPG

[Derek Sinclair]

analogue is the way to go. more durable and look nicer plus don't have to worry about batteries.

Derek,

Following on from your recommendation I am petitioning one of my clubs to use the type of analogue clock as show below rather than replace them with ugly DGT 3000s which are far too reliable and quiet for my liking. Also I don't like their habit of clearly letting players know their remaining time and I'd much rather it was vague and inaccurate.

The one below is especially suited to blitz and bullet time controls and even has an hour glass feature which the juniors love.

I have modified the mechanism of the ones below to allow for Fischer increments and a move counter. I can also link them to a DGT e-board to put our matches online:



JB5_1533.JPG

well done sir.

they do look a lot better.

[Derek Sinclair]

analogue is the way to go. more durable and look nicer plus don't have to worry about batteries.

Derek,

Following on from your recommendation I am petitioning one of my clubs to use the type of analogue clock as show below rather than replace them with ugly DGT 3000s which are far too reliable and quiet for my liking. Also I don't like their habit of clearly letting players know their remaining time and I'd much rather it was vague and inaccurate.

The one below is especially suited to blitz and bullet time controls and even has an hour glass feature which the juniors love.

I have modified the mechanism of the ones below to allow for Fischer increments and a move counter. I can also link them to a DGT e-board to put our matches online:



JB5_1533.JPG

In regards to them being reliable or accurate. They flag that rises as the hand nears 12 is completely fine in that regard. Perfection was achieved when that was invented IMO

[John Upham]

analogue is the way to go. more durable and look nicer plus don't have to worry about batteries.

Derek,

Following on from your recommendation I am petitioning one of my clubs to use the type of analogue clock as show below rather than replace them with ugly DGT 3000s which are far too reliable and quiet for my liking. Also I don't like their habit of clearly letting players know their remaining time and I'd much rather it was vague and inaccurate.

The one below is especially suited to blitz and bullet time controls and even has an hour glass feature which the juniors love.

I have modified the mechanism of the ones below to allow for Fischer increments and a move counter. I can also link them to a DGT e-board to put our matches online:



JB5_1533.JPG

In regards to them being reliable or accurate. They flag that rises as the hand nears 12 is completely fine in that regard. Perfection was achieved when that was invented IMO

Sad as I am I have measured accurately the time elapsed by each side of an analogue clock compared with the time that they claim has actually elapsed. These sizeable discrepancies do not occur with DGTs.

[John Upham]

I was in a tournament once, where the player opposite me punched his clock before moving his piece. I mentioned the incident to the captain, only to be told, get on with the game and stop moaning.

You would be well within your rights to claim an illegal move penalty since pressing the timer without making an actual move would incur such a penalty.

[Derek Sinclair]

Derek,

Following on from your recommendation I am petitioning one of my clubs to use the type of analogue clock as show below rather than replace them with ugly DGT 3000s which are far too reliable and quiet for my liking. Also I don't like their habit of clearly letting players know their remaining time and I'd much rather it was vague and inaccurate.

The one below is especially suited to blitz and bullet time controls and even has an hour glass feature which the juniors love.

I have modified the mechanism of the ones below to allow for Fischer increments and a move counter. I can also link them to a DGT e-board to put our matches online:



JB5_1533.JPG

In regards to them being reliable or accurate. They flag that rises as the hand nears 12 is completely fine in that regard. Perfection was achieved when that was invented IMO

Sad as I am I have measured accurately the time elapsed by each side of an analogue clock compared with the time that they claim has actually elapsed. These sizeable discrepancies do not occur with DGTs.

Well you said it, but the flag is fool proof and works fine. I doubt we are interested in nanoseconds

[Reg Clucas]

Sad as I am I have measured accurately the time elapsed by each side of an analogue clock compared with the time that they claim has actually elapsed. These sizeable discrepancies do not occur with DGTs.

Well you said it, but the flag is fool proof and works fine. I doubt we are interested in nanoseconds

I think 'sizeable discrepancy' implies something a lot greater than nanoseconds. And the flags are certainly not foolproof. I have seen several clocks where the minute hand is bent, so the flag drops before or after it should. I have also seen a flag get stuck in the horizontal position, so it didn't drop at all.

[John Upham]

Well you said it, but the flag is fool proof and works fine. I doubt we are interested in nanoseconds

The disparity was significant: around 5%. I'll let you work out what that means in real terms.

[Joey Stewart]

It woke be quite cool to have a digital flag in the new clocks - loads of kids online talk about flagging their opponent and probably think it is just some sort of chess slang without actually knowing the truth of the story.
I really miss the good old days of flagfall, chess has been completely ruined by increments and slow players escaping what should be certain death...

[Roger de Coverly]

It woke be quite cool to have a digital flag in the new clocks

Which ones are you thinking of? The DGT models flash a literal flag at you when a time check is passed.

[Derek Sinclair]

It woke be quite cool to have a digital flag in the new clocks - loads of kids online talk about flagging their opponent and probably think it is just some sort of chess slang without actually knowing the truth of the story.
I really miss the good old days of flagfall, chess has been completely ruined by increments and slow players escaping what should be certain death...

As I said, perfection was achieved when the cool but simple flag design was created. Digital only really offers the increment option in which case it is obviously better.