How to Set the Clocks

Firstly, it's simpler than it looks and everyone should be able to manage it.

The clocks are DGT2000 digital clocks and come with a number of timing options.  The clocks do not appear to be able to remember anything except the last time control used, which makes them worse than Clangers who could remember 4 things at once, so they will have to be set each time unless the last control used was the one you want.  Probably not many of you can remember the Clangers, and they certainly can't remember you.

Key thing about the display is that you set hrs:mins, mins.secs or just .secs separately and a colon (:) means you are looking at hrs and mins, a fullstop (.) means you are looking at mins and secs or if a fullstop with nothing in front, then just secs.

The MSCL has 3 possible time controls; G65/30, G80/10 and in the rapidplay division something similar but shorter.  They all follow the same principle so the procedure for setting them is the same, just with different values.

A. LEAGUE MATCHES  : G65/30 ie 65 minutes plus 30 seconds increment from the start

Moves need to be recorded throughout the game.

1. Turn on the clock (button on base), you will see a flashing number

2. Push +1 until this shows 23.  Then OK

3. Setting hours and minutes, needs to read 1:05, so push +1 so that the hours reads 1, then OK, then OK again (zero tens of minutes) then +1 until the third digit reads 5.  Should see 1:05.  Then OK.

4. Should now see .00, flashing.  This is to set seconds in the main time.  Click OK twice as there are no seconds in the initial time and this will take you onto the second player, so go through this process again.

5.  Should now show 0.00. Minutes and seconds. This is setting the increment, so OK, +1 until the second digit reads 3, OK, OK. And same for the second player.  FINISHED.

6.  Note that as the increment is 30 seconds and the clock starts showing hours and minutes, the increment will only show every two moves if the player moves fast enough.  Below 20 minutes time left the clock switches to showing minutes and seconds so it will be more obvious.

ALSO - as we have a maximum playing session of 3 hrs and 10 minutes an additional clock needs to run showing one player with 3 hrs and 10 minutes. I found it easiest to set the same for the second player, but as that clock never gets started only one player counts down...and no increment of course.  You could, of course, just look at the clock on the wall and make a note of the time, though there have been some issues with this process so a separate clock is better.  At the end of the time any player can point this out so that all matches need to stop.

B  KNOCKOUT COMPETITION :  G80/10 ie 80 minutes plus 10 second increment from the start.  This is the same type of control as for the league, but with different parameters, so the process is the same as for A above.   This is the same as the time control for the Sussex County Chess Association Paul Watson Trophy.

Moves do not need to be recorded once the time left gets below 5 minutes.

1, Turn on the clock (button on base), you will see a flashing number.

2. Push +1 until this shows 23.  Then OK

3. Setting hours and minutes, needs to read 1:20, so push +1 so that the hours reads 1, then OK, then +1 until the second digit reads 2, OK again (two tens of minutes).  Then OK.

4.Should now see .00, flashing.  This is to set seconds in the main time.  Click OK twice as there are no seconds in the initial time and this will take you onto the second player, so go through this process again.

5.  Should now show 0.00. Minutes and seconds. This is setting the increment, so OK, +1 until the second digit reads 1, OK, OK. And same for the second player.  FINISHED.

6. Note that the 10 second increment will not be noticed as working because the clock will be showing hours and minutes.  Below 20 minutes left it will be more obvious.

C RAPIDPLAY LEAGUE :  G40/10  ie 40 minutes plus 10 second increment from the start

Moves do not need to be recorded during the game, though players are encouraged to do so.

1, Turn on the clock (button on base), you will see a flashing number.

2. Push +1 until this shows 23.  Then OK

3. Setting hours and minutes, needs to read 0:40, so push OK (no hours)   then +1 until the second digit reads 4, OK again.  Then OK once more.

4. Should now see .00, flashing.  This is to set seconds in the main time.  Click OK twice as there are no seconds in the initial time and this will take you onto the second player, so go through this process again.

5.  Should now show 0.00. Minutes and seconds. This is setting the increment, so OK, +1 until the second digit reads 1, OK, OK. And same for the second player.  FINISHED.

6. Note that the 10 second increment will not be noticed as working because the clock will be showing hours and minutes.  Below 20 minutes left it will be more obvious.