What Should I Be Looking For In A Chess Clock?

Forget the familiar timers from school, there's a diversity of chess clocks available now to suit all tastes and budgets. But regardless of personal preferences, there are a number of overriding factors to take into account when selecting a chess clock.

First, the clock should not be a distraction. A loud ticking is not what you want when hard concentration is required for a competitive time limited match. Not only may it distract you personally, your opponent would have good grounds for complaint too. A battery operated clock is a better option, so long as you remember to have fresh replacement batteries to hand and select a clock with touch sensors that don't emit beeping noises.

As well as being stable, your chess clock should be easy to read. Black on white is the best colour combination for contrast.

With battery-operated LCD models pay particular attention to the digital read out. A flashing colon separating the hour and minutes is irritating for many people, likewise glowing power lights, especially if the clock is situated towards the edge of your field of vision when focusing on the board.

In a nutshell, something that doesnt take away from the game of chess. It needs to be heavy enough that it doesnt move around, and the face needs to be big enough so both players can see how much time is left in only a glance. Also the lever you hit must be big enough that you can hit it the 1st time. It may not seem like much, but missing a small one distracts you and does make a difference. Ive played a game where i won within 4 seconds left and it was with a clock my opponent kept missing on. I was getting frustrated for him!