Play Blitz Chess

Blitz chess, also known as Speed Chess, is a single, time-controlled game of 1-10 minutes. Playing Blitz chess creates a flurry of moves, as both players hustle to complete their respective halves of a chess game, depending on which rule set they're playing under. Other than the blazing-fast speed required to complete a full chess game in such little time, the standard rules of movement, capture, and game ending apply.

Steps

Preparing to Play the Game

1. Obtain a chess board. You will also need to have chess pieces, and a chess clock. Try going for a simple and small-sized board. A smaller board will make it easier to move the pieces across the board. Plastic or wooden boards are okay.
   • It is also an option to play online. For this you will need a computer, tablet, or mobile phone that has internet connection.
   • Make sure the clock you choose is durable enough to handle the punching during the last few seconds of the game.
2. Learn the basic rules. You will need to learn the rules before playing blitz chess. First, familiarize yourself with the rules of standard chess. The rules are basically the same in standard and blitz chess. The only differences are the number of illegal moves allowed, and the timing formats.
   • One illegal move can mean a loss in a game of blitz chess.
3. Find an opponent. Anyone that knows how to play the game will do. Consider your level of playing when choosing an opponent. Don’t start off with someone that is much more advanced than you when you are a beginner.
4. Do finger stretches before you begin to play. Players sometimes lose because of finger fatigue. Stretching your fingers will help circulation as you play.
   • Make a gentle fist. Hold for thirty seconds. Then, release and spread your fingers wide. Repeat four times.
   • Place your palm flat on a table. Straighten your fingers as flat as you can against the surface of the table. Hold for thirty seconds. Release and repeat four times.

Playing the Game

1. Face off against your opponent over the chess board. The person playing White gets the privilege of moving first, but the person playing Black chooses which side of the table to sit on.
2. Inspect everything about the table. This includes how the pieces are set up, the time on the clocks, and the clock's orientation. Once play begins, none of these can be changed.
   • The time on the clocks should be set to the amount of time you want to play the game. In a blitz game, you should set the clock between one to ten minutes.
   • The clock should be placed on either side of the chess board. Black decides which side of the board to place the clock.
3. Move first if you're playing. Wait for your opponent to move if you're playing Black.
   • After every move, you must hit the plunger on your side of the chess clock with the same hand you used to move the chess piece. This pauses your clock and starts your opponent's. If you forget to hit the clock, your opponent moves, and you catch it before they correct the mistake, it is considered an illegal move and your opponent loses the match.
   • Remember that the point of Blitz chess is playing a fun, fast chess game. If you take too long to agonize over your moves, you'll lose. You should only take a few seconds at most to make a move.
4. Continue playing until one player wins or both draw. Ways of winning include:
   • Mating (checkmating) the king, by threatening to capture him on the next move in such a way that he cannot escape.
   • Your opponent can resign if there is no way to win.
   • The small plastic flag on your opponent's clock falls before yours, indicating that he has run out of time. According to some rule sets, he can keep playing until you notice the flag fall and comment on it.
   • You notice that your opponent made an illegal move before your next move.
   • The chess game can also be declared a draw by mutual agreement, if there's no way for either to win, if the kings are stalemated, or if your opponent runs out of time or makes an illegal move, yet you don't have sufficient resources on the board to checkmate his king.

Improving Your Game

1. Play standard games of chess. A game of blitz chess is not that different from any other game of chess. Blitz chess is just played much faster. The fast-paced game of blitz chess may be too overwhelming for someone who is new to the game of chess. A good way to get better at blitz chess is to improve your game of standard chess.
2. Play a slightly longer game. Blitz chess can often seem harder than standard chess because the short time of the game makes the player emotional and excited. Try playing a slightly longer game. Playing a longer game will help you train to think clearly and rationally while playing.
3. Practice with stronger players. The best way to improve at blitz chess is to play with more advances players that challenge you to better your game. It may get tiring to play with much more advanced players too often, so practice with other players of mixed levels of strength.
   • Try playing with a player that you beat 1 out of 4 to 1 of 8 games against.
   • Occasionally play with weaker players. This will build your confidence, and help the weaker players improve their games.
4. Study game tactics. Chess is thought to be 80% tactics, and it is not any different for blitz chess. Pay attention to your and your opponent’s positions while playing. Spotting your opponent’s tactics and tactical mistakes will give an advantage in the game.

Tips

• During blitz chess, players are not expected to record their moves.
• Practice breathing exercises to avoid nervousness before a game.
• Under the World Chess Federation Rules, a blitz chess game may offer up to 15 minutes of game time to each player, or an incremental time such that the base allotted time, plus 60 times the increment equals 15 minutes or less.
• According to the United States Chess Federation Rules, blitz chess is usually played with a total of 5 minutes playing time per player, per game. However, USCF rules allow the game organizer to introduce the use of delay or increment time. When increment time is employed, once the base time expires you have a set increment of time to complete each successive move. If time expires before you play and you have enough resources on the board to checkmate your opponent, you lose.

Warnings

• Do not make any illegal moves.
• Watch for the time you have left after two moves.
• Do not look away from the chess board.
• Do not take too much time to think about your next move.

Things You’ll Need

• A chess board with all of the pieces.
• One chess clock
• At least one opponent
• A computer with internet connection for a virtual game.
• A mobile phone or tablet with internet connection for a virtual game.

Related Articles

• Choose a Chess Move

Sources and Citations

See also

• Become a Better Chess Player
• Begin Mastering Chess
• Play Chess
• Perform a Fool's Mate in Chess
• Play Chess for Beginners
• Fool Your Opponent in Chess
• Win Chess Almost Every Time
• Make Chess Pieces
• Play Solo Chess
• Read Algebraic Chess Notation

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