Using Digital Clocks - Concise Guidance

Setting and Starting the Clock

1. Before the start of the game, turn the clock on using the press-button on the bottom of the clock.
2. The clock will normally "remember" the settings from the last time it was used. On power-up it will display a blinking "Option Number".
• For Rapidplay games - the Challengers Cup or Torbay League Rapidplay matches - use Option 03.
• For standard play games with fixed time controls - e.g. Torbay League standard play matches - use Option 05.
• For standard play games with incremental time controls - e.g. Homan league, Dunleavy League, Cookworthy Cup or M. Wray Shield - use Option 18.
• If the applicable Option number is not being flashed, then use the blue plus and minus buttons and to bring up the applicable Option.
• Press the blue tick button to select the applicable Option.
• Now check that the clock has "remembered" the correct time controls for the applicable Option. Keep pressing the blue tick button to confirm each digit of each time parameter.
3. Place the clock on the table and elevate the grey lever on White's side. The clock then "knows" which player is White, and displays a small white king symbol on White's clock, and a small black king symbol on Black's clock.
4. Start White's clock by pressing the central blue play/pause button . To pause the clocks (e.g. for the tea interval) press the same button; to restart the clocks after a pause it is the same button once again. Be careful when pressing this button not to do so for more that 2 seconds, as this will throw the clock into a manual clock adjustment mode.

What Happens When One Player Reaches the Primary Time Control

The Primary Time Control (75 ninutes for the first 35 moves) is only used on standard play games with fixed time controls. With digital clocks, the 15 minutes is NOT added on after Black's 35th move (as is normally done with analogue clocks). Instead, the extra 15 minutes for each player is added automatically when the first player reaches his primary time control.

A black flag will show on the clock of the first player to reach the primary time control; this will disappear after 5 minutes.

What Happens When One Player Runs Out of Time

If a player runs out of time his clock will display a blinking black flag. Under the Laws of Chess, a player is not deemed to have run out of time until his opponent makes a valid claim to that effect (or until the arbiter observes the fact). So if you want to claim a win on time, the onus is on you to make a valid claim to that effect. If a draw is agreed before such a claim is made, then the game is a draw, even if one player's clock is showing that he has run out of time.

If you are observing a game and notice that one player could claim a win on time, YOU MUST NOT POINT THIS OUT - in exactly the same way that you would not suggest a move to either player. Claiming a win on time is considered "part of the game", and you must not offer a player advice on this during the game.