A simple tool to improve your time management in chess
We all know time management decides games. Yet we don’t do much to improve in this area. Why? Because chess time management tool we don’t know exactly where the problem lies.
Some benchmarks
In classical time controls, a game averages around 40 moves. That’s why many time controls are built around a first control at move 40 (90′ + 30″, 60′ + 30″…). The goal is simple: reach move 40 without running out of time.
As John Nunn puts it in Secrets of Practical Chess: losing on time is no different from losing due to weak play — it’s still a zero on the scoresheet.
The method
During the game, I write down my remaining time every 5 moves. After the game, I drop those numbers into a simple spreadsheet. The output clearly shows where and how I spend my time.
What my data revealed:
- 30% of my clock was gone between moves 15 and 20 — a clear sign of indecision right out of opening preparation
- My prep was solid up to move 15, but not deep enough
- By move 40, I only had 6% of my time left — far too risky
Results
By pinpointing the problem, I was able to fix it. Within a few months, my remaining time at move 20 went from 41% to 48%, and improvements are still ongoing.
In short: track, diagnose, fix. That’s it. No fancy tools needed — just a pen and a spreadsheet.
