What is the Best Chess Clock?

How the time clock works when playing chess? how come the clock goes back for one player and not for the other?

• how the time clock works when playing chess? how come the clock goes back for one player and not for the other. What is the reasoning/logic/deciding factors behind clock tick down?

• Answer:

  The basic time control is 5, 10, 15, 30 minutes and longer, for each player. when the 'flag' falls, (Which used to be a red plastic lever at 12 o'clock, but is now represented on electronic clocks as a symbol) The game is over for that player. There are other time controls. Fischer time, for example, is adding on 30 seconds per move. (or 10 seconds etc) Which can be added before or after a move is made. I am not sure, what time control your using, could be countdown, the move has to be made before it reaches zero. So who ever is the Tournament Director or Captain has chosen this method. Google the manual of the chess clock to find out more. Time controls at Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Time_control#Compensation_.28delay_methods.29