Chess lessons › Good chess habits
Using your time well
Spend your time on the moves that decide the game, and no more.
The idea
Spend your time on the moves that decide the game, and no more.
- Play the moves you know quickly, such as your opening moves.
- Think longest when the position opens or your king is in danger.
- Always keep a few minutes for the end of the game.
In a game: If you are often short of time at the end, spend less of it on easy moves.
How the lesson begins
In a game with a clock, time is one of your pieces. Many players spend it badly: a long think on an opening move they already know, and a rush at the end, when the game is decided.
Three rules help. Move quickly when the move is obvious, such as a recapture or a forced reply. Spend your time at the critical moments, when the position opens or your king is in danger. And always keep a few minutes for the end of the game.
A question
It is move 5 of an opening you know well. How long should you think?
Show the answer
Very little: you know what to play.
Right. Time saved on moves you know is time you can spend later, when the position is new.
In numbers
Games lost on time
| Rating | Value |
|---|---|
| Under 800 | 21% |
| 800 to 1199 | 19% |
| 1200 to 1599 | 19% |
| 1600 to 1999 | 22% |
| 2000 and up | 23% |