Increment: a practical example
In 10+5, each player begins with ten minutes and receives five seconds per move. Increment differs from delay, which postpones clock deduction for a period rather than necessarily adding bankable time after each move.
How to use the idea in your games
Practice the actual time control before a tournament. A modest increment can make endgame technique practical even when the initial clock is nearly exhausted, but it does not remove the need for efficient decisions.
A useful study question
Can you explain increment in your own words, identify it in a position, and describe when the idea does not apply? Test the explanation on a legal board before relying on it.
Connect the ideas
Rapid chess, Blitz chess, Tempo are useful next concepts. Follow the links to compare definitions and examples, then return to the complete chess glossary whenever an unfamiliar term appears.
Sources & further reading
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