What does 3+2 mean?
In 3+2, each player starts with three minutes and receives a two-second increment after each completed move. The first number is the starting time in minutes; the second is the increment in seconds. It is not a five-minute game, and it is not a two-second limit on thinking.
The clock runs during your turn. You play your move on the board and press your active side to hand the turn to your opponent. That press is when Chess Clock awards the increment. Each player earns their own bonus; your opponent’s move does not add time to your clock.
A simple worked example
Suppose your turn starts with 30 seconds remaining and the increment is two seconds. If your move takes one second, your clock falls to 29 seconds. After you press it, the bonus brings it to 31 seconds. You have gained one second compared with the start of your turn.
If your move takes six seconds instead, your clock falls to 24 seconds and becomes 26 seconds after the bonus. You have spent four seconds overall. The bonus is still two seconds; it does not change with the length of the move.
After the press = time before the move − time spent + increment
This calculation assumes the move is completed before the clock expires. It describes the settled clock after the turn switch, not the running display halfway through a move.
Can I build time by moving quickly?
Yes. Fischer is cumulative: time earned on a fast move stays on your clock and may be used later. Five moves taking one second each with a two-second increment add five seconds overall, assuming no other time is spent between those presses.
This is the central difference from Bronstein delay and US Delay. Delay can protect an allowance on each move, but the unused portion does not carry forward. A quick move with delay leaves your main budget unchanged rather than growing it.
When is the increment added in Chess Clock?
The app adds the selected increment when the active player completes a turn by tapping their clock. The running clock decreases during the move. Both players start at the selected base time; there is no separate first-move bonus before Start.
This matters when comparing a phone app with a dedicated clock whose first-move conventions may differ. Agree on the actual setup before playing. The guide explains this app’s end-of-move behavior; it does not claim that every clock uses identical initial settings.
If the running clock has already reached zero, a late press cannot rescue it with an increment. The app detects flag fall before awarding the end-of-move bonus. Complete the move and switch turns while you still have time.
How do I select Fischer increment?
- Choose a starting-time preset in the setup screen.
- Select Fischer under the timing choices.
- Choose a common increment value that is available in the free setup.
- Check the summary and press Start.
- Tap your active side after making each move.
The current free options include 1, 3, 5 and 10 minute starting times, common increment values and quick tournament presets. Pro unlocks custom game lengths and custom increment values beyond the standard options. Fischer itself does not require Pro.
Which game lengths can use increment?
Increment can be used with short or longer over-the-board games. It changes how the time budget behaves, not which player moves next or how the chess pieces move. For practical setup ideas, see the Blitz clock guide or Rapid clock guide.
To compare the same turn under all three modes, read Fischer vs Bronstein vs US Delay. The comparison includes both the after-move calculation and the difference between adding time and protecting delay time.
Product features: Chess Clock on the App Store. Standard timing modes are free; Pro unlocks custom values.