Blitz means games of 3-5 minutes per player. Two working options:
For fair blitz you need clocks - free phone clocks work, one per table.
Count one round of blitz 5+0: up to 10 minutes for the game plus 3-5 to seat and enter results - about 15 minutes a round. So:
So in a 2-hour evening you can realistically play a tournament for 16-32 people (6-7 rounds) with room for the awards. Blitz 3+2 compresses it further.
A scenario: 16 people, blitz 5+0, 5 rounds, a prize for the winner - fits in an hour and a half. Create the tournament in the bot Vibe Chess Bot with /create_tournament (pick the control and rounds with buttons), run /start_tournament, then /next_roundbetween rounds. The bot keeps the pace: as soon as a round's results are in, the next pairing is ready in seconds. More in the organizer guide.
Blitz is a fast format with 3-5 minutes per player. '5+0' is 5 minutes with no increment; '3+2' is 3 minutes plus 2 seconds added per move. The increment saves you from losing on the flag in a winning position.
On blitz 5+0 a round is about 15 minutes with seating. In 2 hours you can play 6-7 rounds - a full tournament for 16-32 people with awards.
Yes, blitz without clocks loses its point - all the excitement is in the time control. Free phone clocks work, one per table.
The bot deals pairings and tables instantly, and as soon as a round's results are in, the next pairing is ready in seconds. The organizer spends no time pairing - that's what packs the tournament into an evening.
5+0 is more familiar and a touch calmer; 3+2 is more dynamic and faster thanks to the increment that kills time scrambles. For a packed evening take 3+2, for a comfier one 5+0.
Pairings are computed by bbpPairings, an open-source engine implementing the Dutch system by FIDE rules: score groups, floats on an odd field, colour alternation. Free to use.
The bot is constantly improved based on real tournaments. If you need a feature that isn't there yet, message the developers right inside the bot with the /support command. Many features appeared exactly because organizers asked for them, and useful ideas get added quickly.
Calmer - weekend rapid tournament. About the round count - how many rounds in the Swiss. Gear - online chess clock. A plan for 16 - 16-player tournament.
At the board since childhood: hazy about his rating, precise about every rook he has blundered. Counts an evening as a good one if the opponent stayed to talk afterwards instead of rushing off to check with an engine. Message →
