Increment is extra time added to your clock after every move you make — it’s the “+2” in a time control written as 3+2. So a 3+2 game gives each player 3 minutes to start, plus 2 seconds back onto their clock each time they complete a move. The most common type, invented by Bobby Fischer, is called Fischer increment.
The idea is simple but powerful: because you gain a little time every move, you can never be forced to lose purely on the clock as long as you keep moving. In a tight endgame you can “live on the increment,” playing move after move on those bonus seconds.
How the time control reads
Time controls are written as base time + increment:
| Written | Base time | Increment | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3+2 | 3 minutes | 2 sec/move | Gain 2 seconds each move |
| 5+0 | 5 minutes | none | Sudden death — no bonus |
| 15+10 | 15 minutes | 10 sec/move | Gain 10 seconds each move |
A “+0” control (like 5+0) has no increment — it’s a flat race, and running out of time loses instantly. Add even a small increment and the game changes character: you can defend a scramble instead of just flagging.
Increment vs delay
Both give you breathing room, but they work differently:
- Increment (Fischer): the bonus is added to your clock each move — and unused increment stacks up, so you can build a small reserve.
- Delay (Bronstein / simple delay): the clock waits a few seconds before it starts counting down each move. You don’t accumulate time; you just get a grace period before your main clock ticks.
Delay is common in over-the-board US events; increment dominates online and at most FIDE events. Either way, our chess clock guide walks through the buttons and settings.
Related terms
- Blitz and rapid — formats where you’ll pick an increment.
- Armageddon — a tiebreaker that may or may not use one.
- Deep dive: how a chess clock works.
- Back to the chess glossary.
Mini-FAQ
What does the “+2” in 3+2 mean? It’s the increment: 2 seconds added to your clock every time you move. The “3” is your starting time in minutes.
Is increment better than delay? Neither is “better” — they solve the same problem (avoiding pure time-scrambles) differently. Increment lets you bank leftover seconds; delay just gives a fixed grace period each move.
Written and fact-checked by the Chess Lab Academy Editorial Team (AI-assisted, human-edited) · Rules cross-checked against the FIDE Laws of Chess (Article 6) and Wikipedia · Last verified 2026-07-13 · Sources · How we verify content.