increment

in blitz chess, could someone please tell me the purpose of 'increment.'

Originally posted by webbinator
in blitz chess, could someone please tell me the purpose of 'increment.'

additional options...it's the equivolent to a delay clock in OTB

Originally posted by c guy1
additional options...it's the equivolent to a delay clock in OTB

No. Delay isn't the same as increment. Delay just allows you a certain time before your clock starts ticking. Increment adds time to your clock after X amount of moves. Like 40/120 means 40 moves in 2 hours after 40 moves have been made you get two more hours or it can mean 40 minutes plus three minutes per move. I'm not sure what the "official" interpretation would be.

In blitz, an increment is a small unit of time added after each move. So in a 3-minute game, you might choose to play '3+2' which means two seconds are added to your allocation each time you move. Over a 30-move game, you'd therefore gain an extra minute.

This model can be used OTB as well. In some major tournaments, instead of the standard 40 moves in 120 mins, you might often find 40 in 80 minutes + 1 min increment. In other words, you gain a minute every time you move; over 40 moves, you gain 40 mins which - lo, and behold - gives you a total of 120 mins.

So if it comes to the same thing, why bother with an increment-based method? The answer is that, with the increment, violent time scrambles are avoided at the end of the game because you always have a minute in which to move.

Does this make life easier? Yes, but not necessarily for the players! It makes life far easier in major tournaments for the arbiters - they no longer have to oversee dozens of time scrambles.

Of course, increments as described above are only available OTB with digital clocks; or at blitz, via online facilities

correct me if I am wrong but I believe Bobby Fischer started that.