1Chess Clock is made for an over-the-board game: one Android phone, two players, and a visible timer. It works offline and does not ask you to create an account, so you can prepare the clock before the pieces are set up. If you are choosing a format for a club or casual game, the broader chess time-controls guide explains the difference between rapid, blitz, increment, and delay.
Prepare the clock before the game
Open the app and place the phone where both players can comfortably reach it. On the home screen, choose a preset or open the game settings to enter the starting time you agreed. Check the displayed time, mode, and increment or delay before either player makes a move. This small pause matters: changing a clock after play has begun is distracting and can make the result unclear.
For a first test, choose a short preset and run a few moves. Each player should be able to read their own panel from their side of the board. The large touch areas are intended for a quick hand-over after a move, not for navigating through settings during the game.
Start and switch turns
When both players are ready, start the clock. After White makes a move, White taps their side; White's time stops and Black's time begins. Black does the same after replying. Keep the phone stable and agree before the game whether a mis-tap is corrected immediately or by the players' usual club rules.
The running view is deliberately simple. It shows which side is active and lets both players see the remaining time without an internet connection or a sign-in screen. If a preset is useful for your regular games, keep using it locally instead of rebuilding the same setup each time.
Choose the right mode for the game
Use a simple countdown for a straightforward casual game. Use Fischer increment when every completed move should add the same number of seconds; follow how to set Fischer increment for the app-specific setup. Use Bronstein delay when players should receive a grace period before their main time decreases; the exact setup is covered in the Bronstein delay guide.
Before a tournament, training session, or longer match, run a one-minute practice game. It confirms that both players understand which side to tap and that the selected mode matches the announced time control. Once that is clear, reset or choose the final preset and start the real game.