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Fast chess

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Blitz chess (also known as speed chess or blitzkrieg chess) is a game of chess where each side is given very little time to make all of their moves. Generally, each side has between three and fifteen minutes (five minutes is common) timed by a chess clock. Blitz chess is quite popular on many Internet chess services. The word blitz means lightning in German.

Time controls in rapid chess are closer to classical chess time controls (i.e. 40 moves in 2 hours), than in the blitz. In tournaments, the final positions of the contestants may be resolved by a series of games with ever shortening control times. In this case, two games will be played with each time control, as playing with black or white pieces is not equally liked among players.

The short time controls naturally reduce the amount of time available to consider each move, and result in a frantic game, especially as time runs out. When one player's time runs out, the other player wins the game, unless that player does not have enough pieces to win the game, in which case the result is a draw. As with normal chess, a checkmate will also win the game. Also, a common rule used in "blitz tournaments" is that if a player makes an illegal move, your opponent may point it out and claim a win. For example, if a player leaves their king in check, the other player may claim the win. This rule can be left out for a friendly game or left in for what some consider to be a more exciting and fun game.

Even faster than blitz chess is bullet (or lightning) chess, where time limits are typically less than three minutes.

Blitz or blitzkrieg in chess sometimes means a rapid attack on the f7 or f2 square (see algebraic notation), not necessarily in speed chess (Kidder 1960).

Chess boxing uses a blitz version for the chess component of this sport.

References

  • Harvey Kidder (1960). Illustrated Chess for Children. Doubleday. ISBN 0-385-05764-4.