An imported digital clock

Jamshedpur, March 2: Chess players in Jharkhand can now look forward to more time after every move across the board.

With sleek imported digital clocks now available with the East Singhbhum District Chess Association (ESDCA), timing hitches have become a thing of the past.

A consignment of 50-odd clocks, made in Germany and the Netherlands and assembled in China, reached the chess authorities here from Mumbai recently. Each clock carries a price tag of Rs 4,500.

The new clocks have replaced the old and worn out ones, which hitherto were important components of state and district tournaments.

“We have essentially purchased the digital clocks for the upcoming all India open chess championship. As per rules of the All India Chess Federation (AICF), digital clocks are mandatory for national-level engagements,” an ESDCA official said. The open chess meet is scheduled in the city from April 8-15.

They added that besides the national-level tournaments, the digital clocks would also be in use in state and district-level matches.

Shedding light on the new clocks, ESDCA secretary Jayant Bhuyan said the equipment is very helpful in conducting the matches. “It automatically increases the time by 30 seconds for each participants after every move. This has a direct bearing on the duration of the match, helping a player with some “extra time”.

“But, as a precautionary measure, we will be asking junior arbitators to note the timings after every half hour. This measure is being taken in case the clocks stop functioning. But this rarely happens. The clocks are of good quality,” he added.

According to him, time (during matches) reduces in mechanical clocks but it is just the opposite when it comes to digital ones.

Bhuyan, who has operated as chief arbitrator in several state and national chess championships, said: “Earlier, we used to acquire digital clocks on rent from the AICF for conducting national tournaments in the city.”

He added that they had taken on rent 130 such clocks from AICF, Alekhine Chess Club (Calcutta) and a club in Chennai for the all India open chess meet held in Jamshedpur in 2004. Since then no nationals have taken place here.”