Free tool
Tournament time planner
How it works
Enter your time control, the average number of moves you expect a game to run, your round count, and a buffer per round for setup and result entry. The planner estimates one player’s clock time for that many moves, doubles it for both players, adds the buffer, and multiplies by the round count for a total event duration.
Category
Classical
Per round
3h 55m
Both players' clocks plus buffer
Total event time
19h 35m
Across 5 rounds
An illustrative estimate built on an average, not a guarantee: individual games run shorter or longer than the average, so budget extra margin for the slowest board in the room, setup, late arrivals, and result entry. See the FIDE Handbook for official time control and round scheduling rules.
The method behind the numbers
Total event time = rounds x (2 x (base minutes + increment seconds x avg moves / 60) + round buffer)
A time control such as 90+30 does not directly tell you how long a round takes: the increment keeps adding time every move, so a game that runs 40 moves per player uses noticeably more than the base 90 minutes once increment is counted, and both players’ clocks run across the round, not just one.
This planner reuses the same per-player time-for-moves estimate as the time control converter, doubles it for both sides of the board, and adds a fixed buffer for pairing setup, late boards, and result entry before multiplying by the number of rounds. The average-moves figure is the single biggest lever: a scholastic field that mostly finishes by move 30 needs a much shorter schedule than an open section where games regularly reach move 50.
Every number here is an estimate built on an average, not a guarantee: individual games will run shorter or longer, and a real schedule needs margin for the slowest board in the room, not the average one. Add extra buffer for larger fields, longer time controls, or a venue with a hard closing time.
Frequently asked questions
What should I use for average moves per game?
Scholastic and club games in shorter time controls often finish between move 25 and 35; adult club and weekend rapid events commonly run closer to move 35 to 45. If you have results from a past event, count moves on a sample of finished scoresheets rather than guessing.
Why does the estimate double the per-player time?
A round does not end until both players’ games finish, and both clocks run across that same span of real time in a normal game, so the wall-clock length of a round tracks each player’s time for the expected number of moves, counted once per side.
How much buffer should I add per round?
Most organizers add 10 to 20 minutes for pairings, walking players to boards, and slower games finishing after the average. Bigger fields, first-time scholastic players, or a hand-run pairing process rather than software all justify more buffer, not less.
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