DGT North American Chess Clock and Game Timer

This is a very good chess clock. Also at this time Amazon offers free shipping, which was outstanding (Ordered on Sunday, delivered on Tuesday, free). This clock will inevitably be compared to the sturdy Chronos clocks costing 3 or 4 times as much, currently without Amazon free shipping. I have not ever owned a Chronos, but I have played on them. I believe they are heavy duty and probably more likely to survive abuse than the DGT NA. However, I do not plan to abuse mine or allow anyone to abuse it.The only negative comment I have is that the section of the manual explaining the timing options is confusing. On page 9 it has a table of timing options, what the display is supposed to show, and a verbal explanation. Option 14 shows display left and right both showing 0.00.00. In fact, what you actually see is 1) 0:00 0:00 followed by 2) .00 0:00 followed by 3) X:XX 0:00, (where X:XX is what you set the left hand minutes to) followed by 4) X:XX .00 followed by 5) 0:00 X:XX (the 0:00 is the 3 digit bonus time in minutes and seconds). Five screens instead of one. The second screen shows 00 with "bonus" at the bottom, leading me to believe that the maximum bonus time was 59 seconds. But what the .00 means is the seconds in the left hand (or right hand) main control time. Bottom line, this clock does what I want, and very few other do, but it was difficult to ascertain that. And let me say that other chess clocks can also be hard to understand.OK. now for the good. I like the recessed power button so it does not get powered on /off accidentally. This is one of the few clocks that will allow a Fischer move bonus of 60 seconds. The in-game controls are clear and well thought out. It remembers your settings for each time option so you might need to program an option only once (unless you use that same option with different values). This clock will fit in the clock compartment of my chess bag. Some of the Chronos clocks are too long to fit.Last but not least, a lot of function for a reasonable price.

This is an excellent digital clock and, in my opinion, the best clock for the money.why?1. It is very easy to figure out and program. A 'cheat sheet' for setup is on the bottom2. The display is clear and easy to read3. The lever system is easy to see at a distance4. It uses two standard AA battery that lasts ten years5. It is light and portable but has a wide base that makes it stable when playing6. Digital chess clocks are a must for modern tournament play. Analog clocks cannot take advantage of modern time controls.My thoughts on the competitors:1. It is significantly easier to use than the more expensive Chronos which is sturdy and heavy (stable) but VERY difficult to program, and has to be disassembled to change batteries. Once programed, the Chronos works well. I suggest watching a YouTube video on programing it before buying. I would think that after a few moments of watching, most people would steer clear of this device. There is also a video on how to change the batteries. For Blitz (and only Blitz), I think the Chronos is the best chess clock. It comes in the 'Touch' and 'Button' variety. I have the Touch which has no moving parts. I think the Button version is more pleasant to use.2. Much sturdier and nicer looking than the Saitek and Excalibur.3. Much less likely to to break than the ZmartFun. My first one arrived broken. The replacement fell and broke. The company was very responsive to my email and offered to replace the one that I dropped! The clock uses four heavy C batteries which are strapped in and can easily break the fragile plastic holding it in. Hopefully there will be an updated model.There is a similar clock by DGT called the DGT 2010 SG. This model is a little more expensive and it's time controls that are geared more towards FIDE tournaments. The DGT North American is better for United States tournaments. The DGT web site has a side-by-side comparison.There is also a model called the DGT 10102 XL (red)/ 10103 XL (Beige) used in top level tournaments, usually FIDE rated. These are the only clocks that can be hooked up to a DGT electronic boards which cost between $650 and $850.00, give or take. I don't think that there is any compelling need to get this clock without the 'extras'.I think the DGT easy and the DGT 960 are flimsy and not as good for regular play as the DGT NA (and 2010). The DGT 960 is better for chess 960.

Good quality clock.

I like this clock a lot. It's a well-respected clock. Seems to be holding up well after several slugfests. Clear display. Solid toggles. Awesome that it is preprogrammed with a great many different time controls (blitz, Fischer, etc.).Only things that I do not like:1. Choosing and setting up pre-programmed time controls is not so easy (takes some figuring and some practice!).2. Have to turn off the clock, then back on and affirm previous time controls (with several different clicks) after every game.3. Have to remember to hit the sound button prior to every game.Overall, though, I really like this clock - enough so that I just bought another as a gift.