I swear, everytime I tune into Lichess TV and the top rated players are duking it out, it is ALWAYS either 1+0 or 3+0. Occasionally even something as ridiculous as 30sec+0 (sorry, Ultrabullet enthusiasts).
How come? Are Rapid and Classical time controls simply too slow and boring for them, or has it something to do with the algorithm of the site?
People generally have little to no spare time. Why play 1 rapid game instead of 10 Bullets ?
Bullet is the most addictive time control imo ;)
Why wonder why they show up instead of other time controls? I guess this is due to the fact, that the game with the highest rated players show up (probably the mean of both, not sure though). Shorter time control means effectively more games played which pushes the ratings eventually.
I'm just amazed that seemingly everyone of the higher tier's players never compete in anything else ... that's all.
I completely agree with
@TheBigDecline . Why in blitz they always choose 3+0 instead of 3+2? So many games are destroyed in the end because of time. Even in the world championships they play 3+2 and games mostly end with the correct result. But here they don't like increment, I just don't get it.
cheating is one reason. most people don't want to play an hour of classical online against what turns out to be stockfish
Cheating and available time to play chess have absolutely nothing to do with the choice of time control.
Top players have hours to kill. Choose to play very fast games. They are in the least worried about engine users.
The fact is, top players are good, very good. They choose to play very fast games, simply because they can. Make a blunder here or there, who cares? Next game please.
It is nonsense that players play only very fast games because of the notion cheating is not possible. Of course it is. But the detection of cheating in fast games is much simplified. Hence, not seen as much.
Increment destroys the idea of fast play. Increment is a new concept, employed to neutralize losses in OTB blitz tournaments.
Why play increment with a fast time control? Just set a longer game.
Top players choose fast games because they can play ALOT of games. They will play a match of 30 games. Time available again is not the consideration. Simply playing alot of games is the fun.
Top players play far better games in 1/0 than us mortals at 2000 in a rapid game.
When they want a serious game, well I guess they play in a weekend event. In the mean time, have some fun.
Maybe they play so much slow tournament and OTB chess that lichess is the only place they can play fast games.