Is 15 10 chess good for beginners?

Answered by Jarrod Smith

In my personal experience, I have found that a time control of 15 minutes with a 10-second increment (15|10) can be a good starting point for beginners in chess. This time control allows for a decent amount of thinking time without being overwhelming.

When you are just starting out in chess, it is important to strike a balance between having enough time to think and make good moves, while also not spending too much time on each move. With 15 minutes on the clock, you have enough time to consider your options and make reasonable decisions without feeling rushed.

The 10-second increment is also quite helpful for beginners. It means that after each move, you gain an additional 10 seconds on your clock. This can be very useful when you are in a time trouble situation or when you need some extra time to calculate variations.

Using increments in chess is generally a good idea because it allows you to manage your time more effectively. It also prevents situations where players can just make random moves quickly without thinking, as they still need to take some time to make their moves.

However, I would not recommend using longer time controls for beginners. While it may seem like having more time is advantageous, it can actually be counterproductive. Beginners often struggle to use the extra time efficiently and may end up overthinking or getting lost in unnecessary calculations.

It is important to remember that chess is a game of making good moves within a limited time frame. So, starting with a time control of 15|10 gives beginners a good balance between having enough time to think and avoiding excessive time consumption.

To summarize, a time control of 15 minutes with a 10-second increment (15|10) is a good choice for beginners in chess. It provides enough time to think and make reasonable decisions without feeling rushed, while also incorporating increments to manage time effectively. It is important to find a balance between having enough time and not overthinking, and this time control strikes that balance quite well.