OpenChess

Hello.
I know that rapid is 15 to 60 minutes, blitz is 3 to 15 minutes, and bullet is below 3 minutes. But what I would like to know is, what are the "official" time controls for rapid, blitz and bullet? By "official" time controls, I mean the most common time controls, the time controls that are used in big tournaments.
Oh and also, is a game of precisely 15 minutes considered as rapid or blitz?
Thanks in advance for your answers.

Hi,

I do not know if I understand your question.
My opinion is most often for each category are the shortest time are used for reasons of convenience. I think, each director of tournament is free to choose according to the duration of the tournament.
Generally, an open tournament using the Swiss system of 9 rounds and more. Closed Tournament with a few players, uses a round robin system.
There is nothing official, except the FIDE regulations that are defining the various category of duration of chess games.
An international arbitrator is more likely to answer you.

Marc Benford wrote:Hello.
Oh and also, is a game of precisely 15 minutes considered as rapid or blitz?
Thanks in advance for your answers.

Rapid = 15 - 60 minutes

http://www.fide.com/component/handbook/ ... ew=article
http://arbiters.fide.com/regulations/of ... uages.html

A.1

A ‘Rapidplay’ game is one where either all the moves must be made in a fixed time of at least 15 minutes but less than 60 minutes for each player; or the time allotted + 60 times any increment is at least 15 minutes, but less than 60 minutes for each player.

B.1

A ‘blitz’ game’ is one where all the moves must be made in a fixed time of less than 15 minutes for each player; or the allotted time + 60 times any increment is less than 15 minutes.

Source:
http://www.fide.com/component/handbook/ ... cle&id=125