Something more important - LCC 2011

[Paolo Casaschi]

1. 90 minutes with 30 seconds cumulative increment for each move starting from first move
2. 90 minutes for 40 moves + 30 minutes with 30 seconds cumulative increment for each move starting from the first move

I suppose everyone has their own recipe, but I dont get the point of the time control after 40 moves: why not a revised 2.1 option like "120 minutes with 30 seconds cumulative increment for each move starting from the first move".

In principle I agree, but your suggestion can't be used for norms. Norms can only be attained using (2) if you want a 5-hour session, or using the 40/120 + G/30 time control mentioned elsewhere.

ah, FIDE again

[Roger de Coverly]

I suppose everyone has their own recipe, but I dont get the point of the time control after 40 moves: why not a revised 2.1 option like "120 minutes with 30 seconds cumulative increment for each move starting from the first move".

The effect of the intermediate time control is to force the games to be played at a slightly faster pace. Also it gives players the chance to take a brief break without having to pause the game. But 120 30 isn't valid for norms. Also the ACP who requested FIDE to restrict the choices of time control have expressed the viewpoint of international elite players that standardisation of time controls is desirable.

[Alex McFarlane]

I was about to make the same points as Roger. Though I would have perhaps stated it in a different way - without the second time control players will play more slowly until short of time effectively giving a significant number of moves played at a fast rate towards the conclusion of the game.

I accept that, from the players point of view, there should be a limted number of time control options (as an organiser I could argue otherwise). It does seem unfortunate that neither 1 minute increments nor the time control used in many GM events (e.g. the LCC) and FIDE itself uses in events like the Candidates is not permitted for title norm events.

[LozCooper]

Is he really in Madrid, Spain awaiting the transfer of funds?

No, his g-mail and facebook accounts got hacked. Normal service has now been resumed.

[Alex Holowczak]

I reckon the time controls are the product of evolution.

Originally you had 40 moves in 2 1/2 hours, plus 16 moves per hour forever, with adjournments at suitable moments. You might have an acceleration of this, and you might have had adjudication after the first time control.

Then we sped up, and had 40 moves in 2 hours, plus 20 moves per hour forever.

Then we heard of quickplay finishes, and introduced them after so many of the other time controls. E.g. 40 moves in 2 hours plus 30-minute quickplay finish, or 40 moves in 2 hours, plus 20 moves in 1 hour, plus a 30-minute quickplay finish.

Now we're modifying the above for increments, so we have 40 moves in 90 minutes, plus a 30-minute block of time, plus a 30 second increment from move 1, or 40 moves in 100 minutes, plus 20 moves in 50 minutes, plus a 15-minute block of time, plus 30 seconds per move from move 1.

Suppose we were starting from scratch with the concept of a time control. I reckon for a five-hour session, we'd probably go for something like 120 minutes plus 30 seconds per move for a 5-hour session, and the concept of having an intermediate at move 40 would be hard to justify.

[Alex McFarlane]

Suppose we were starting from scratch with the concept of a time control. I reckon for a five-hour session, we'd probably go for something like 120 minutes plus 30 seconds per move for a 5-hour session, and the concept of having an intermediate at move 40 would be hard to justify.

Ahhh! You are young and still in full control of your bladder.

I'm not so sure that if we were starting from scratch we wouldn't want the 'break' added. Some tournaments did actually run time controls similar to your suggestion. I don't think any still do if the session is more than 3 hours or so.

The addition of time is a bit like the interval in a number of sports. When chess is televised this would be the time to put on the adverts!!

[Paolo Casaschi]

The addition of time is a bit like the interval in a number of sports. When chess is televised this would be the time to put on the adverts!!

Then you have a suggestion for the next London Chess Classics: when the last top player completes the 40th move, bring out the cheerleaders onstage, like in American football!