Start in seconds
Pick 3+2 or another familiar preset and put the phone beside the board.
Chess clock for iPhone
Keep the game.Lose the panic.
DuelTempo is a reliable chess clock for over-the-board games. Start a familiar control in seconds, recover interrupted games, and trust every press when the position gets sharp.
- Offline-first
- No account
- No ads
Black · 12+2 sec
04:58
Blitz · FischerPausedMove 24
White · 12Your clock
03:17
Full-half touch zones
BulletBlitzRapidClassicalFischerBronsteinHourglass
Game Rescue
A phone call should not decide the game.
DuelTempo checkpoints the live clock on your device. If play is interrupted, the game reopens safely paused—ready to verify, correct, and continue.
Safe restore
Resume from a local checkpoint without guessing whose clock was running.
Undo one press
Reverse a mistaken tap exactly instead of rebuilding the position on the clock.
Quick corrections
Adjust either player’s time for penalties, mistakes, or an arbiter’s decision.
Visible rescue log
Keep every correction clear to both players after the clock changes.
Built for the board
Fast to start. Hard to disrupt.
Confident input
Large full-half touch zones accept the first contact and ignore extra fingers until release.
Deadline-based timing
Remaining time is derived from monotonic deadlines, not accumulated screen ticks.
Private by design
No account, ads, or cross-app tracking. Games and preferences stay on your device.
A clock with atmosphere
Choose expressive Metal-rendered themes or a crisp, high-contrast Classic display.
Useful game stats
Review move counts, time left, average move time, and thinking time for each side.
Time controls
Your club’s clock, already set.
Go from one-minute bullet to multi-stage classical. Use the built-in presets, give each player different time, or save a custom control for next week.
Bullet chess
1 min bullet
One-minute bullet chess gives each player 60 seconds for the entire game, with no increment or delay. Every decision, move, and clock press comes out of the same minute.
- Clock format
- 1:00 per player · sudden death
- How it works
- The active player’s main time counts down immediately. Reaching zero ends that side’s clock, so fast, confident presses matter as much as quick moves.
- Best for
- Fast club challenges, tactical warm-ups, and experienced players who enjoy pure speed.
Blitz chess
3+2 blitz
The 3+2 blitz time control starts each player with three minutes and adds two seconds after every completed move. It is fast, but the Fischer increment leaves room to finish a winning position.
- Clock format
- 3:00 + 2 seconds per move
- How it works
- A player’s clock counts down during the turn, then receives two seconds when that player presses the clock. Unused increment can accumulate.
- Best for
- Club blitz, café games, online-style over-the-board play, and quick matches with fewer time scrambles.
Blitz chess
5 min blitz
Five-minute blitz gives both players five minutes for the complete game and no added time. It is one of the simplest chess clock settings to explain and start.
- Clock format
- 5:00 per player · sudden death
- How it works
- Main time begins falling as soon as the opponent presses. Because no time is added, every long think reduces the time available for the rest of the game.
- Best for
- Casual club rounds, fast rematches, school chess, and players learning to manage a basic chess clock.
Rapid chess
10 min rapid
Ten-minute rapid chess gives each player ten minutes for the entire game. It offers more calculation time than blitz while keeping a two-game match easy to fit into a short session.
- Clock format
- 10:00 per player · sudden death
- How it works
- The clock subtracts time continuously during each turn. There is no increment or delay, so players must reserve enough time for the middlegame and endgame.
- Best for
- Training games, lunchtime rounds, school clubs, and players moving from blitz toward slower chess.
Rapid chess
15+10 rapid
The 15+10 rapid time control combines fifteen starting minutes with a ten-second Fischer increment after every move. The increment rewards steady play and supports technical endgames.
- Clock format
- 15:00 + 10 seconds per move
- How it works
- Each side’s main time counts down on its turn. Pressing the clock completes the move and adds ten seconds to that player’s remaining time.
- Best for
- Serious rapid games, coaching sessions, analysis-friendly club play, and complete games with fewer flagging finishes.
Classical chess
90+30 classical
The 90+30 classical time control gives each player ninety minutes plus thirty seconds after every move. It supports deep calculation and keeps long endgames playable.
- Clock format
- 90 minutes + 30 seconds per move
- How it works
- The main clock runs during the turn and a thirty-second Fischer increment is credited after the press. Saved increment remains available on later moves.
- Best for
- Long-form club games, serious training matches, and players who want a tournament-style classical rhythm.
Multi-stage classical
40/2h + 1h
This multi-stage chess time control requires forty moves in the first two hours, then adds one hour for the remaining moves. The extra period begins automatically when the move threshold is reached.
- Clock format
- 40 moves in 2 hours · then 1 hour
- How it works
- DuelTempo tracks the move count for each side and applies the next time period at the configured stage, avoiding a manual clock reset during the game.
- Best for
- Traditional club schedules, long classical matches, and events that use a move-based first time control.
Increment timing
Fischer increment
Fischer increment adds a fixed number of seconds after every completed move. A player who moves faster than the increment can build additional time for later positions.
- Clock format
- Starting time + seconds after each move
- How it works
- The player’s main time counts down normally. When the clock is pressed, the configured increment is added and any unused time stays on the clock.
- Best for
- Blitz, rapid, or classical games where players should always have a chance to complete legal moves and finish an endgame.
Delay timing
Bronstein delay
Bronstein delay returns the time used on a move up to a fixed delay limit. Moving within the delay costs no net main time, but it never increases the clock beyond the time available at the start of the turn.
- Clock format
- Starting time + refundable move delay
- How it works
- Main time may appear to fall during the move. After the press, DuelTempo restores the smaller of the elapsed move time or the configured delay.
- Best for
- Players who want protection from losing time on routine moves without the accumulating bonus created by Fischer increment.
Delay timing
US delay
US delay gives a player a fixed grace period at the start of every turn. The main chess clock does not begin decreasing until that delay has expired.
- Clock format
- Starting time + non-accumulating delay
- How it works
- A separate delay countdown starts on each turn. If the move is completed inside that window, main time is untouched; unused delay does not carry forward.
- Best for
- US-style tournament formats, club events, and games that need a visible pause before main time begins to run.
Transfer timing
Hourglass
Hourglass chess transfers time from the player whose clock is running to the opponent. The total time in the game stays constant while the balance shifts after every long think.
- Clock format
- Time lost by one side is gained by the other
- How it works
- While one player thinks, that player’s display falls and the opponent’s display rises at the same rate. Pressing swaps the direction of the transfer.
- Best for
- Experimental games, coaching exercises, and lively matches where using more time directly benefits the opponent.
Asymmetric timing
Time odds
Chess time odds give the two players different starting times. The stronger or faster player can begin with less time while both sides play the same board position and rules.
- Clock format
- Independent starting time for each player
- How it works
- DuelTempo keeps each side’s configured time and timing rules separate, then runs the game normally once the asymmetric clocks are set.
- Best for
- Balanced games between different skill levels, coaching challenges, simultaneous practice, and friendly handicap matches.
Advanced controls, custom presets, and time odds require the optional DuelTempo Pro lifetime unlock.
Inside DuelTempo
Clear when calm. Legible under pressure.
DuelTempo: Chess Clock
Requires iOS 18 or later
The useful clock is free.
Play common clocks, rescue live games, and use corrections without paying. Unlock advanced controls and more themes once with DuelTempo Pro—no ads and no subscription.
App Store
Coming soon
for iPhone
FAQ
Before you press the clock.
What chess time controls does DuelTempo support?
DuelTempo includes sudden death and Fischer increment, plus advanced Bronstein delay, US delay, hourglass, asymmetric time odds, and multi-stage controls with DuelTempo Pro.
What is Game Rescue?
Game Rescue protects a live over-the-board game from common phone-clock failures. DuelTempo saves local checkpoints, safely restores an interrupted game in a paused state, lets you undo the last press, correct either clock, and keeps a visible correction log.
Does DuelTempo work offline?
Yes. Timing, live-game recovery, custom controls, and preferences work locally on your iPhone. You do not need an account, and the app has no ads or cross-app tracking. An internet connection may be needed for App Store purchases and restoration.
Is DuelTempo free?
The useful core clock is free, including common sudden-death and Fischer controls, Game Rescue, corrections, statistics, and free themes. An optional one-time Pro purchase unlocks advanced controls and additional visual themes. There is no subscription.
Can I use an iPhone chess clock in a tournament?
DuelTempo is designed for home games, clubs, cafés, schools, coaching, and casual over-the-board play. Tournament and event rules vary, so ask the organizer whether phone clocks are permitted; DuelTempo does not claim tournament certification.