Online Chess Clock for Over-the-Board Play

What an online chess clock is (and is not)

An online chess clock for over-the-board (OTB) play is a dual countdown on one phone or tablet: White and Black each get their own clock face. After every move you press your side to stop your clock and start the opponent’s—the same handoff as a physical DGT-style clock.

It is not online multiplayer. There is no matchmaking, no opponent account, and no cloud game file. Open the free online chess clock when two players share one screen across a board—club night, park table, or living room.

How to start a game in under a minute

1. Open the clock. Load the chess clock on one device both players can reach.
2. Pick a time control. Tap a preset (for example 3+2, 5+0, 10+0, or 15+10) or open Advanced for custom base, increment, delay, and time odds.
3. Set the layout. Side-by-side is the default. Switch to face-to-face when you sit opposite each other so the far pad rotates for the other seat.
4. Black presses first. That starts White’s clock—classic OTB convention. After each move, the player who just moved presses their own pad.

Layouts, Present, and Table mode

• Side-by-side. Both pads share one orientation—best when the phone sits between you on one long edge of the board.
• Face-to-face. Rotates the far side so each player reads their clock upright when seated opposite.
• Present mode. Bigger digits for a spare monitor or when spectators need to see remaining time.
• Table mode. Fullscreen immersive layout with optional far-side rotate—useful when the device is the only shared display on the table.

Skins (graphite, walnut, LED, felt, and more) change the look without changing the rules. Favorites and recent presets keep your club’s usual controls one tap away.

Time controls: sudden death, Fischer, Bronstein

Bullet, blitz, rapid, and classical chips cover common club lengths. In Advanced you can choose:

• Sudden death — the base time alone, no bonus after moves.
• Fischer increment — a fixed number of seconds added after every move.
• Bronstein delay — unused delay returns to your clock, capped at the delay.
• Simple delay — the main clock waits for the delay before ticking each turn.
• Time odds — different bases for White and Black when you want a handicap.

Pause, lock, undo, and rematch

The center baton holds pause/resume, status, and the time-control chip. Use Lock so accidental taps do not steal a move mid-game, Undo for a one-step correction, and Rematch after a flag to reset both clocks with the same control. Mute if the venue is quiet; keep sound on when you want a clear handoff cue.

Chess clock vs timer vs stopwatch

A single online timer counts one duration from now—class periods, exams, or cooking—not two opposing clocks. A stopwatch measures elapsed time and laps; it does not alternate sides after moves. Focus methods like the Pomodoro Technique are for solo work blocks, not rated OTB play. Use the chess clock when the rules need White’s and Black’s remaining time on one device.

What not to expect

• Do not expect online opponents, ratings, or PGN sync—this tool stays private on the device.
• Do not close the tab mid-game if it is the only clock; keep the screen awake while a session runs.
• Do not treat a phone face-down under a book as a substitute for pressing your pad after every move.

Open the free chess clock

Start on the online chess clock, pick 5+0 or your club’s usual control, set side-by-side or face-to-face, and have Black press first. No account, no install—just two pads and a baton between them.