ACP Chess Survey on Time Controls at World Chess Championships

Chess blog for latest chess news and chess trivia (c) Alexandra Kosteniuk, 2012

Hi everyone,

The Association of Chess Professionals (ACP) recently conducted a survey (composed of 4 questions) among Top 30 world players (as of 1 July 2012) about the time control in World Championships.They received 28 answers from:

Adams Michael, Anand Viswanathan, Aronian Levon, Bologan Viktor, Carlsen Magnus, Caruana Fabiano, Dominguez Perez Leinier, Fressinet Laurent, Gashimov Vugar, Gelfand Boris, Grischuk Alexander, Ivanchuk Vassily, Jakovenko Dmitry, Jobava Baadur, Kamsky Gata, Karjakin Sergey, Kramnik Vladimir, Leko Peter, Mamedyarov Shakhriyar, Nakamura Hikaru, Nepomniachtchi Ian, Ponomariov Ruslan, Radjabov Teimour, Riazantsev Alexander, Svidler Peter, Tomashevsky Evgeny, Wang Hao, Wojtaszek Radoslaw.

Question 1:
Which of the following 2 time controls should be used in final stages of World Championship Cycles?

a) 120'/40+60'/20+(15'/SD+30") - 120 minutes for 40 moves, followed by 60 minutes for 20 moves, followed by 15 minutes, with an increment of 30 seconds starting from move 61

b) (100'/40+50'/20+15'/SD)+30" - 100 minutes for 40 moves, followed by 50 minutes for 20 moves, followed by 15 minutes, with an increment of 30 seconds starting from move 1

Results:9 voted for A
17 voted for B
1 player equally liked both proposals
---
1 player was against both proposals

Question 2:
The following 2 rapid time controls are widely used. Which of them should be used in World Rapid Championships?

a) 15'+10" - 15 minutes for a game with 10 seconds increment
b) 25'+10" - 25 minutes for a game with 10 seconds increment

Results:
8 voted for A
19 voted for B
---
1 player was against both proposals

Question3:
The following 3 blitz time controls are widely used. Which of them should be used in World Blitz Championships? Please sort the possibilities from best to worst.
a) 5'
b) 3'+2"
c) 4'+2"

Results:
Answer A: 2 first places; 2,5 second places; 23,5 third places
Answer B: 16 first places; 9,5 second places; 2,5 third places
Answer C: 10 first places; 16 second places; 2 third places

Remark:
0,5 arises when a player doesn't give a preference between 2 possibilities.

Question 4:
The following 5 time controls are widely used for sudden death games. Please sort them from best to worst.

a) 5'-4' (white has 5 minutes, black has 4 minutes; white has to win)
b) 6'-5' (white has 6 minutes, black has 5 minutes; white has to win)

c) (4'-3')+1" (white has 4 minutes, black has 3 minutes, an increment of 1 second is added starting from move 1; white has to win)

d) (5'-4')+1" (white has 5 minutes, black has 4 minutes, an increment of 1 second is added starting from move 1; white has to win)

e) (5'/60-4'/60) + (0'/SD+3") (white has 5 minutes, black has 4 minutes, an increment of 3 seconds is added starting from move 61; white has to win)

Results:
Not all out of 28 players answered that question.

The opinions were widely spread, however it is still possible to take a conclusion, that the option 5'-4' (white has 5 minutes, black has 4 minutes; white has to win) was clearly preferable, whereas all other 4 options were at more or less the same level of support.

Recommendations:
Based on the obtained results the ACP recommends: 1) to change the official time control used in the World Championship match/tournament, Candidates matches, Grand Prix to:
(100'/40+50'/20+15'/SD)+30" - 100 minutes for 40 moves, followed by 50 minutes for 20 moves, followed by 15 minutes, with an increment of 30 seconds starting from move 1

2) to use in the World Rapid Championship:
25'+10" - 25 minutes for a game with 10 seconds increment

3) to use in World Blitz Championship:
3'+2" - 3 minutes for a game with 2 seconds increment

4) to use 5'-4' (white has 5 minutes, black has 4 minutes; white has to win) for sudden death games

From Alexandra Kosteniuk's
www.chessblog.com
Also see her personal blog at
www.chessqueen.com
Don't miss 
ChessQueenTV

Biel Chess Fest: Wang Hao Wins, Carlsen Second

Chess blog for latest chess news and chess trivia (c) Alexandra Kosteniuk, 2012


Hi everyone,

Wang Hao: Click on photo to go to official website

The Biel Chess Festival needed no more excitement but to have the victor's decision go right down to the tape to the last round No. 10. World No. 1 Magnus Carlsen went into the last round with a lead over Wang Hao and Anish Giri. While Hao and Giri were to play each other in the last round, Carlsen was to take on Etienne Bacrot. That meant, whoever of Hao and Giri would win could take the title.

Wang Hao and Anish Giri finished their game the fastest in the round with White's error being mirrored by Black and allowing Wang Hao to get back into the game with tactical finesse to win.

Magnus Carlsen - under pressure as he now required a win to get the overall title - could only draw with Bacrot. In the third game of the last round, US chess champion Hikaru Nakamura beat Viktor Bologan.

The Sofia rule of scoring was used. Chinese No. 1 Wang Hao finished the 45th Biel Chess Festival with 19 points. Defending champion Magnus Carlsen though had no losses, but because of the Sofia Rule had to finish with 18 points. Giri and Nakamura shared the third place with 16 points.

More information is available at the official Biel Chess Festival website. Here are some nice links related to the Biel Chess Fest that you would love to explore:

Biel Chess Fest R10: Wang Hao-Anish Giri 1-0
Biel Chess Fest R9: Bologan’s Sicilian Win Over Wang Hao
Biel Chess Fest R8: Giri Turns the Tables on Bacrot
Biel Chess Fest: Carlsen’s Sicilian Smothering of Bologan
Biel Chess Fest R6: Giri Breaks Bologan’s Dogged Defense
Biel Chess Fest: Carlsen Steamrolls Wang Hao
Biel Chess Fest R4: Wang Hao Beats Anish Giri, Leads
Biel Chess Fest Round 3: Wang Hao-Nakamura Wild, Wild Game 1-0
Biel Chess Fest: Giri Hunting Out Morozevich’s King
Biel Chess Festival R2: Bacrot Spikes Moro’s Plans

The best of the lot:
Kosteniuk’s Slow Motion Checkmate Knockout chess video vs Wang Hao goes viral on YouTube

From Alexandra Kosteniuk's
www.chessblog.com
Also see her personal blog at
www.chessqueen.com