Time controls
Chess.com offers a wide variety of timed games, giving you the option to choose from standard time controls or create custom settings to match your playing style.
When you open the Play Online screen, a default time control will already be selected. You can simply click 'Start Game' to search for a match using that time control.
The default time control automatically updates to your most recently used setting after you’ve played a few games.
For example, if the time control is set to 10 minutes, clicking 'Start Game' will pair you with an opponent for a 10-minute game.
To change the time control, simply click on the time control box. This will open a new menu where you can choose from more options:
Here you can choose from any of the listed time controls, or click 'More Time Controls' to see even more options, including a custom setting to create your own time control!
Time controls are different for Daily Chess. Check out this article to learn more: What is Daily Chess?
How do time controls work?
Time controls are represented by two numbers:
The first number indicates the total minutes you have to complete all your moves.
The second number indicates the bonus seconds added to your clock after each move.
Examples
5 | 5: You have 5 minutes to play the game, with 5 seconds added after each move.
18 | 10: You have 18 minutes for the game, with 10 seconds added after each move.
If there’s no second number, the game has no increment (bonus time). For instance, 18 min represents an 18-minute game with no additional time added after each move.
For details on how different time controls affect your live ratings, check out this article: Why are there different ratings in live chess?
Custom time controls
To create your own time control, select 'More Time Controls' then scroll down to find the custom time control option:
Here’s how to set it:
Enter the main time in minutes and seconds in the first two fields.
Enter the increment (bonus time) in seconds in the inc field.
For example, entering 8 - 23 - 11 creates a game with 8 minutes and 23 seconds of main time, plus 11 seconds added after each move.
Once you've set your time control, click the arrow button on the right to apply it.
Finding a match with custom time controls may take longer, especially if others aren’t searching for the same settings.