So as we're coming up on Tournament Season again I'm reminded of how important it is to play, and play expediently. That doesn't mean to just make a move and hope for the best, but to use the most out of the available time to make the best decisions possible. Using your opponents turns to plan out your moves, and react to his turn as appropriate.
One of the things me and a friend of mine have always joked about, was using a chess timer, to keep both of us playing at a decent rate. So here's my thoughts on that, and how I think it would work.
Each player would get 1 hour total for their turn. Then each of those player turns would be broken down as such.
Before clock starts, mission, roll for sides, etc.
Start Time
Turn 1: 20 minutes per player (this includes deployment time)
Turn 2: 10 additional minutes added per player
Turn 3: 10 additional minutes added per player
Turn 4: 10 additional minutes added per player
Turn 5: 10 additional minutes added per player
Now here's the what happens if you don't use up your entire alloted time. So say turn 1 you have 20 minutes but only use 15 minutes on the clock. Well you get 10 additional minutes for turn 2. So your turn would end at the 30 minute mark on the timer, allowing for 15 minutes of play during turn 2.
This will allow for all players involved to get to turn 5. Now if there is still time at the end of turn five and the game is to continue, both players could decide if they would like to continue based on the time left on there clocks. But would have to dice down once their turn's time ran out, and the other player would finish their turn, and same with turn 7. But I've yet to see a real tournament game go to turn 7, and usually doesn't make it past 4 so this would be a way to get a round played through and entire game.
What do you guys think?
-CKR
I was thinking of this very same thing this weekend for our Apoc games. Typically they run 20 minute phases, and some players will find themselves twiddling their thumbs during one phase, but there's no incentive to play quicker.
ReplyDeleteNow to find a suitble chess clock...
Not a bad idea...though it may be better to time how long you ACTUALLY take first, to get an idea of how, and where, you need to improve.
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