Blitz Chess
Blitz Chess Tournament games generally last between 6 to 10 minutes, with each player getting 3 to 5 minutes to try and win the game.
This compares to standard time for Chess Tournaments, where each player usually has between 1 to 3 hours to outsmart their opponent.
One of 5 Types of Fast Chess
The type of Chess referred to as "Blitz", is actually one game contained within the family known as Fast Chess.
Besides Blitz Chess, the other Fast Chess variations include:
- Rapid or Quick Chess ... 15 to 60 minutes for each player; occaisionally there will be a time increment, such as 10 seconds per move).
- Bullet Chess ... 1 to 2 minutes per player.
- Armageddon Chess ... this game is played in Black's favour - should there be a Draw, Black will win. To compensate, White is given more time - usually, White gets 6 minutes, versus Black's 5; alternatively, 5 minutes for White : 4 minutes for Black.
The Blitz variety is, therefore, third, behind the Rapid and Armageddon versions, respectively, in terms of how generous the time a player gets.
From time to time, you may hear of Lightning Chess being used, when referring to a game of Fast Chess ... this could either be a term for the Bullet or Blitz versions and just highlights the significantly speedy pace of the game.
From Speed Chess To Chess Boxing!
Another version of Fast Chess is Speed Chess, in which each player gets 12 minutes to win the game.
Rather brilliantly, Speed Chess got combined with the sport of Boxing, to make "Chess Boxing" ...
Originally - according to this Wikipedia article - Chess Boxing was a fictional sport confined to the realms of a French comic book ...
That was until a Dutch artist - Iepe Rubingh - chose to put fiction to the test and, in 2003, the first Chess Boxing fight was officially organized and the sport has grown in popularity from there.
So popular, in fact, that the Wu-tang Clan went on and recorded "Da Mystery of Chessboxin" ... (Providing it hasn't been taken down by YouTube), here's their video:
| Blitz Chess, Fast Chess ... How About Victory in 2 Moves! |
