For the first move in chess 960 it makes sense, to think for more than 15 seconds. However, if you do that, you get forfeited.
I'd suggest to simply start the clock after 15 seconds and forfeit after 1 minute (for a 5-minute game).
Or (if that's simpler) to extend the grace period from 15 seconds to 30 seconds for chess 960.
Makes sense.
I disagree. Even when I play chess960, I don't want to wait ages until my opponent makes a move.
You won't build a whole opening theory every time you play a new chess960 game. 15 seconds is well enough to find a decent move.
I agree. In every other variant you can decide what you want your first move to be beforehand, without even having to join the tournament, and the 15 seconds isn't meant as thinking time. This is not the case in Chess960.
This is probably too much effort for a small annoyance in a variant, but here's one thing that might work for Chess960.
Instead of the clock starting with the first move, there would be a button below the game that says something like "Ready" or "Begin Game". Before you press the button the board is in blindfold mode, so you can't tell which of the 960 initial positions you're about to play. After you press the "Ready" button, blindfold mode turns off but now your clock can start running. You can take as long as you want for your first move, but of course you have to do it with your clock running.
So the game would go as follows:
1. White arrives to a blindfold board and presses "Ready" (if white doesn't press the button before 15 seconds pass, then the game can be aborted/forfeited). Now white is no longer in blindfold mode.
2. Black arrives and presses "Ready" (also in the first 15 seconds). Now black is no longer in blindfold mode.
3. Once both players have pressed "Ready", White's time immediately begins ticking down even before white has made the first move.
4. White makes the first real move.
At least 30 secs for 960, its not the same as other variants.
Theres some setups you really need to be careful not to lose material early. But its a preference, if i lose a few games from not being ready then its only a few games. Life goes on.
I agree with this whole-heartedly. 960 at stupid kiddie time controls makes zero sense because players have to *think* at move one — I know the idea of thinking is alien to fashion slaves and their openings books, but 960 demands time.
"960 at stupid kiddie time controls makes zero sense because players have to *think* at move one — I know the idea of thinking is alien to fashion slaves and their openings books, but 960 demands time."
Fast 960 is justified, if only for its great potential for quickly executing and spotting tactics, in my view.
ArcticPenguin made very sensible suggestions IMHO
