In short: The time each player has for their moves, measured with a chess clock. It is often written as minutes for the game plus seconds per move, such as 90 + 30.
Also called thinking time.
The time is measured with a chess clock. Each player has their own time, and it only runs when it is that player's turn. Whoever moves quickly saves time, and whoever thinks for a long time pays for it later in the game.
How a time control is written
Usually as two numbers: minutes for the whole game and seconds added after each move. 90 + 30 means 90 minutes and a 30-second increment per move. The increment means you are never completely out of time as long as you keep moving.
It used to be common to have a set number of moves in a set time, such as 40 moves in two hours, and then more time for the rest of the game. Time you save in the first period carries over to the next.
Blitz, rapid and classical
How long the time control is decides what kind of chess you are playing. With an increment you count the time plus 60 times the increment, which is how much time a 60-move game would give.
| Kind | Time per player | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Blitz | 10 minutes or less | 3 min + 2 s per move: 3 + 2 = 5 minutes |
| Rapid | more than 10 but less than 60 minutes | 15 min + 10 s per move: 15 + 10 = 25 minutes |
| Classical | 60 minutes or more | 90 min + 30 s per move: 90 + 30 = 120 minutes |
Read more about blitz and rapid. The time is longer still in correspondence chess, where it is counted in days.
The clock is part of the game. A player in time trouble easily makes mistakes, and if the time runs out you have usually lost. Read what happens when the flag falls.
Frequently asked questions
What does 90 + 30 mean?
90 minutes for the game and 30 seconds extra for every move you make. The increment comes after each move, so a player who moves quickly saves time for later.
What is a classical game?
A game with a time control so long that it is neither blitz nor rapid, so 60 minutes or more per player. For a long time, a common club time control in Sweden was 40 moves in two hours and then more time for the rest of the game.
What happens if your time runs out?
Usually you lose. But if your opponent can't checkmate you in any way at all, the game is drawn instead.
Updated November 14, 2026