Here is a detailed explanation of what speed chess is and how does speed chess work. Speed chess is much more fun than normal chess, and yes, the biggest advantage is that it finishes so fast. However, speed chess is not for everyone. Read on to know why.
What is speed chess?
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Speed chess is also known as blitz chess. Simply put, it’s a game of chess with quick time control. Speed chess is more fun and faster than normal chess. But of course, playing a game of chess faster than normal may mean lower performance and lower quality.
Due to quick time controls, speed chess leads to many blunders, unusual moves and offbeat openings. To excel in blitz chess, you have to be an incredibly quick thinker. If you cannot think well under pressure, then speed chess may not be the game for you. But you can still play it for fun.
Speed chess is extremely popular and can be played by anyone from beginners to grandmasters. Speed chess is the same game as normal chess, but you get less time to make your moves.
To play speed chess, you don’t need anything extra than your chess set. But you need a good chess clock to time your movements.
So how much faster is speed chess than normal chess?
According to FIDE, normal chess gives at least 120 minutes per player. So one game in the world championship chess tournament can last for more than six hours. Speed chess takes only from 3-10 minutes per player.
The time controls for speed chess are divided into three: rapid time control, blitz time control and bullet time.
Rapid control takes about 10 minutes per player. Time controls 30l0 and 15l10 are used for the World Rapid Chess Championship.
Blitz chess gives three to five minutes per player. FIDE’s World Blitz Championship control is 3l3.
Bullet time controls are faster than three minutes. The most popular time controls at chess.com are 1l0 and 2l1.
How does speed chess work?
Speed chess does not work any differently from normal chess except that it’s played faster. Rapid chess may impede quality chess playing due to fast time controls, but it does have its benefits.
You can play speed chess at chess.com and choose from a variety of speed chess time controls.
Benefits of speed chess
- It prevents fatigue and distraction caused by lengthy time in normal chess.
- It can help individuals learn to react faster in real-life situations.
- It helps to learn the rules of chess faster in a more fun way.
- Speed chess leads to fun gigantic chess games.
- Anyone can play speed chess.
Tips for playing speed chess better
- Time is not your friend in speed chess, so instead of using your time to anticipate moves, you must use your intuition instead.
- Solving chess puzzles will help you improve in rapid chess. Chess puzzles present you with different possible scenarios in chess and how to react to them.
- Playing classical chess will also help you play rapid chess better because you learn chess moves and strategies at a slower pace.
- Do not be eager to attack first. This is one of the biggest mistakes in speed chess. Be smart with your first move.
- Keep an eye on the chess clock instead of staring at the board. Here your timing matters most.
How does speed chess work? Summary
Speed chess does not work any differently from normal chess in moves or chess pieces. But the only difference is faster time controls. Speed chess players generally have less than 30 minutes to make their moves. Speed chess is divided into three types, blitz chess, rapid chess and bullet chess. Bullet chess is the fastest chess, and rapid chess is rapid chess gives thirty minutes or less to make your moves.
Do you know how many pieces there are in a chess set? Read this article for a complete guide on the number of pieces and how to set up your chess board if you are a beginner.
*All pics are taken from Unsplash.com
