Online Chess Clock — Free Chess Timer with Increment

A free online chess clock for over-the-board games. Put your phone or tablet next to the board and the two halves of the screen become the two sides of the clock: tap your half after each move to start your opponent's time. There is nothing to install and no account to create, and the top half is turned upside down so the player across the board can read it.

Every common timing method is built in: sudden death with no bonus, Fischer increment (a bonus added after every move), Bronstein delay and simple US delay, plus multi-stage controls such as the FIDE classical 90 minutes for 40 moves, then 30 more minutes, with 30 seconds per move from move 1. Pick a preset from bullet (1+0) to classical, or set your own time, give one player less time (time odds) and add up to three time stages.

Big digits, tenths of a second in the last 20 seconds, a move counter, a low-time warning, sounds and vibration make the clock easy to follow in a fast game. Pause and resume at any time, keep the screen awake while you play, and record the moves on a small board as you go, then finish the game in the full scoresheet.

Frequently asked questions

How do I use this online chess clock?

Choose a time control with the settings button, then put the phone or tablet beside the board. As on a real clock, Black taps their half to start White's time. After each move, tap your own half to stop your clock and start your opponent's. The middle bar pauses, resets and changes the settings; on a keyboard, Space ends the running player's turn and P pauses.

What is the difference between increment and delay?

With an increment (Fischer), a fixed bonus such as 2 seconds is added to your clock after every move, so you can build up time by moving quickly. With a delay, your clock waits for the delay before it starts counting down (simple or US delay), or gives back the time you used up to the delay (Bronstein). Either way you never end a move with more time than you started it with.

Does US Chess use delay or increment?

Both are used. In the US Chess rules a clock with time delay is the standard timer for sudden-death games, so many US tournaments announce controls like G/30;d5 (30 minutes each with a 5-second delay). Increment controls such as G/90;+30 are common too. Always check the time control your tournament announces; this clock has G/5 d5 and G/30 d5 presets and lets you set any other.

Does the chess clock work offline?

Yes. Once the page has loaded, the clock runs entirely on your device, so it keeps working if the Wi-Fi drops at the club or tournament hall. It is free and needs no account.

Will my screen stay on during a game?

The clock fills the whole screen and, in browsers that support it, keeps the screen awake while a game is running. If your browser can't, the clock shows a reminder so you can turn off auto-lock for the game. Turning on Do Not Disturb stops notifications from covering the clock.

Can I give one player more time or use a 90/40 control?

Yes. In the settings you can give each player a different time (time odds), for example 5 minutes against 2 for the stronger player, and add up to three time stages, such as 30 more minutes after move 40. The FIDE classical control (90/40, then 30 minutes, with a 30-second increment) is a ready-made preset.

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