Time Controls
What does flag mean in chess?
- Clock
- Practical
- Time
Flag is a clock-management term: part of an analogue chess clock, usually red, that indicates when the minute hand passes the hour. To "flag" someone means winning the game on the basis of the opponent exceeding the time control. The practical skill is choosing moves that fit the clock without ignoring tactics.
What to look for on the board
- Clock pressure.
- Whether increment changes risk.
- Simple moves that keep control.
Flag FAQ
What does flag mean in chess?
Flag is a clock-management term: part of an analogue chess clock, usually red, that indicates when the minute hand passes the hour. To "flag" someone means winning the game on the basis of the opponent exceeding the time control. The practical skill is choosing moves that fit the clock without ignoring tactics.
Flag: how do you spot it on the board?
Look for: Clock pressure.; Whether increment changes risk.; Simple moves that keep control..
Flag: what is the most common mistake?
Letting the clock change the quality of your candidate-move process completely.
Put your own games under review
Knowing the vocabulary is the easy part. Chessiro's free chess game review runs Stockfish 19 over your Chess.com and Lichess games, marks the moves that cost you, and explains each one in plain English. Or paste any game into the PGN analyzer, including famous games from the classic games collection.
Free game review
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