Suggestion of updating Blitz, Rapid, Classic based on 2018 FIDE Rules.

Hello lichess community,

I want to make the suggestion of updating time controls based on FIDE rules 2018 for the above mentioned formats!

I just realised Blitz would switch to Rapid when putting 8min+0 per player. Rapid would switch to classical when putting 25min+0 per player.

In FIDE rules it is written Rapid is more than 10, less than 60min. If increment is involved, it must be more than 10, less than 60min total (including increment) for 60 moves.

Blitz would be the exaxt time of 10min or less per player.
In case of increment it must be a total 10min time (including increment) or less for 60 moves.

http://www.fide.com/component/handbook/?id=208&view=article

I just don't see any reason, why lichess would have rather their own random time controls (at least that is what it looks like for me, sorry if I am mistaken and it is well thought of, time controls!) over having official formats, which is way less confusing and way better for practicing for upcoming OTB tournaments!

Just so nobody gets the wrong idea, we have no intention of following all the FIDE rules, some of which require a FIDE-certified [human] FIDE Arbiter to be present.

As for the time controls themselves, the game plays differently OTB than online. It is possible to premove, and it is unnecessary to take notation, remove captured pieces from the board, or press the clock.

But also, players online play without an increment, unlike FIDE popular time controls. OTB no-increment is fun until blood appears on the clock; online it leads to other unexpected outcomes, but players seem opposed to even the most modest +1 or +2 increments.

Great question, and great answer.

Thank you Toadofsky for your thoughts on the topic!

Let me make clear, my suggestion is NOT having the intention making something like a "FIDE platform" out of lichess, implementing FIDE rules wherever possible. I completely understand lichess has nothing to do with FIDE and there is many OTB rules, not working online without human arbiters!

In fact I wished it wasn't even FIDE who defined Classic, Rapid and Blitz time controls. When making my suggestion I dont feel it as "FIDE time controls", but rather I feel it like the en passant rule or how to castle properly!
To make a comparison: For me it feels like calling a 8min chess game Rapid instead of Blitz is similar to allowing castling when in check. For me it just feels wrong.

What I am saying: In my opinion it would make sense taking uniform definitions of Classic, Rapid and Blitz!

To explain it a bit more:

Since Bullet is a specific form of Blitzchess, FIDE doesn't even have specific Bullet rules. It just says anything 10min or less is Blitz. Here I completely agree with the arguing OTB and online chess differ in things like premoves, notations, removing captured pieces from board and so on. Bullet rules, Bullet time controls and so on should be made by lichess on their platform! I think Bullet is the format which differs most online and OTB and should have their own rules online.

The first time control I found that is different to FIDE is 8 min defined as Rapid on lichess instead of Blitz (FIDE).
I feel a chessgame of 8 min for each player isn't influenced so much by premoves, removing pieces from the board and so on. I just dont see the need for changing definitions here!

This even stronger applies to Rapid! For example premoves or moving pieces just hardly matter in a 25+10 time control so that there shouldn't be the need to define it as Classic rather than Rapid in my opinion. There is not even the rule of taking notes in Rapid games! According to FIDE people can write moves on a scoresheet if they want, but they don't have to. That only is a must in Classic time control!

My final point and short summary I want to make: I suggest this as a chesslover, enjoying the chessgame on lichess a lot! Since I play chess OTB in a chessclub, I see lichess as some training/practice tool! Let me tell you as OTB and online player, it is a huge difference if you have 7min or 10min for a Blitz game. Your inner clock saves this subconscious and that is why I suggest a Blitz game should be 10 or less minutes OTB and online on lichess. It is uniform and helps subconcious time feeling!