What is time control in Draughts (International)?

Verdict

A game may require a set number of moves in a given time, which makes a playing clock and full move-by-move transcription obligatory (10.1, 10.2.1, 10.2.2); A game may instead give each player a fixed time to the end, in which case the clock is obligatory but recording is not (10.3, 10.4); Clock ...

Why people argue about this

People often assume that a playing clock is only necessary when each player has a set number of moves within a time limit, forgetting that it's also required if players are given fixed times for their entire games, regardless of how many moves they make. This confusion stems from the rule text not clearly distinguishing between these two scenarios.

Send this to your friend — argument over.

6. Variants & House Rules

Recognised Forms of Play

Normal games between two opponents face to face (11.1.1)
Simultaneous displays — one player facing a number of opponents at once (11.1.2)
Correspondence games, the moves sent alternately (11.1.3)
Blindfold play against a sighted opponent, without looking at a board and without recording (11.1.4), and blindfold simultaneous displays (11.1.5)
Games with a blind player, using a board with pieces in relief (11.1.6)
Handicap games in which the stronger player starts one or more pieces down (11.1.7)
Every form except ordinary face-to-face play has its own specific regulations (11.2); for correspondence and blindfold play the board is treated as if placed between the two players (11.3)

Time Control

A game may require a set number of moves in a given time, which makes a playing clock and full move-by-move transcription obligatory (10.1, 10.2.1, 10.2.2)
A game may instead give each player a fixed time to the end, in which case the clock is obligatory but recording is not (10.3, 10.4)
Clock handling itself lives in the FMJD Rules for Competitions, not in these game rules (10.5)

International Draughts Compared with Checkers

The FMJD game uses a 100-square board with 20 men a side (2.1, 2.7); English draughts and American checkers use a 64-square board with 12 men a side and are governed separately
In the international game men capture backwards (4.1); in English draughts they do not
The international king is a flying king, sliding any distance along a diagonal (3.9); the English king moves one square
The majority-capture rule (4.13) has no counterpart in English draughts, where any available capture may be chosen

6. Variants & House Rules

Recognised Forms of Play

Normal games between two opponents face to face (11.1.1)

Simultaneous displays — one player facing a number of opponents at once (11.1.2)

Correspondence games, the moves sent alternately (11.1.3)

Blindfold play against a sighted opponent, without looking at a board and without recording (11.1.4), and blindfold simultaneous displays (11.1.5)

Games with a blind player, using a board with pieces in relief (11.1.6)

Handicap games in which the stronger player starts one or more pieces down (11.1.7)

Every form except ordinary face-to-face play has its own specific regulations (11.2); for correspondence and blindfold play the board is treated as if placed between the two players (11.3)

Time Control

A game may require a set number of moves in a given time, which makes a playing clock and full move-by-move transcription obligatory (10.1, 10.2.1, 10.2.2)

A game may instead give each player a fixed time to the end, in which case the clock is obligatory but recording is not (10.3, 10.4)

Clock handling itself lives in the FMJD Rules for Competitions, not in these game rules (10.5)

International Draughts Compared with Checkers

The FMJD game uses a 100-square board with 20 men a side (2.1, 2.7); English draughts and American checkers use a 64-square board with 12 men a side and are governed separately

In the international game men capture backwards (4.1); in English draughts they do not

The international king is a flying king, sliding any distance along a diagonal (3.9); the English king moves one square

The majority-capture rule (4.13) has no counterpart in English draughts, where any available capture may be chosen

Time Control