Rapid, Blitz or Bullet: Choosing a Chess Time Control for Kids

For a child practising a new chess skill, choose a time control that leaves room to use it. If every move is a rush, try a slower setting with the coach’s guidance. A game such as 15+10 can be a useful practice option for a child already comfortable playing a complete game, but there is no single best chess time control for every beginner.

What does 15+10 mean?

Each player starts with 15 minutes. After each move, that player receives 10 additional seconds, called an increment. A setting of 5+0 gives each player five minutes with no added time. The first number is minutes; the second is seconds. The official time-control guide explains this notation.

Fifteen minutes per player does not mean the whole game lasts fifteen minutes. Both players use their own time, and increments can extend the session. Leave enough space in the family schedule to finish without having to abandon the game.

Rapid, blitz and bullet are not identical labels everywhere

On Chess.com, common examples include 15+10 and 10+0 as rapid, 5+0 as blitz, and 1+0 as bullet. The platform considers the increment when assigning a category, using an estimated 40 moves. Check the displayed category rather than guessing from the starting minutes alone. See its explanation of the separate time-control ratings.

FIDE’s over-the-board Laws use a different calculation: starting time plus 60 increments. Rapid is more than 10 but less than 60 minutes per player; blitz is 10 minutes or less. So 10+0 is blitz under these rules even though Chess.com labels it rapid. Bullet is not a separate category in these two FIDE appendices. For an event, check its published time control and regulations. FIDE Laws, Appendices A and B, give the definitions.

Choose the practice task before the clock

Start with what the child is trying to do. Are they checking whether a piece is safe? Looking for the opponent’s threat? Learning to finish a game with a clock? Ask the coach which setting gives a realistic chance to practise that task.

• Still learning how pieces move: Try a supervised practice position or an untimed friendly exercise. Do not make racing the clock the main challenge.

• Playing complete games and learning a thinking routine: Discuss a slower game, perhaps 15+10, and leave time afterwards to review one decision.

• Preparing for a particular tournament: Include practice at that event’s actual time control once the child understands the clock procedure.

• Playing a quick game for enjoyment: Agree on a suitable session, while keeping it separate from the practice task the coach assigned.

These are planning suggestions, not rules that all children must follow. A longer game is only useful if the child can stay engaged and has something clear to think about.

Check how the time was used

After a game, choose one moment and ask, “What did you look at before moving?” If your child had plenty of time left but moved instantly throughout, simply adding more minutes may not change anything. Practise a short routine: notice the opponent’s last move, check immediate threats, then consider a reply.

If they repeatedly run out of time while trying to understand basic moves, share the game with the coach. A simpler exercise or slower setting may fit better. Avoid interrupting a live game with advice; discuss decisions after it finishes.

Our guides to using a chess clock and reviewing a game before an engine cover the practical next steps.

Does a beginner need to play bullet?

No. A child can learn chess without playing one-minute games. Speed can be enjoyable, but a quick result does not show whether the child understood the position. Choose a mix that serves the lesson and keeps playing enjoyable, then adjust it with the coach.

Book a free Project64 online demo to discuss your child’s current experience and practice needs. Bring the time settings they normally use, along with a game if one is available.