Find the move before the clock runs out.
Solve chess puzzles under the clock!
Other puzzle sites only grade your accuracy.
Why ClutchChess is different
The chess you actually play has a clock. Your training should have one too.
Most puzzle sites
- Solve puzzles with no clock running, no pressure added
- Only one rating that averages every kind of position together
- You play against a strict stored answer key, no other moves allowed
- “Correct” or “Wrong” is the only feedback you receive
ClutchChess
- The clock is part of the test, like in a real game
- Different pressure sub-ratings to show your weaknesses
- You play against a real Stockfish opponent, not just a stored answer key
- Coach's Note explains the puzzle after every solve
How it works
Chess puzzles where the clock is part of the test.
- STEP 1
Pick a category
Each scenario builds a separate rating, so you can see which kind of position you struggle or thrive under the most.
- STEP 2
Play the position out
Every puzzle plays against Stockfish at your chosen level, not a fixed answer key. You don't need the top move: hold the objective and it counts as solved.
- STEP 3
Earn your rating
Fast and accurate gains you more. Slow but correct still counts, just for less.
- STEP 4Optional
Link your accounts
Link your Chess.com or Lichess account and ClutchChess analyses your last two months of rated games to find which category of drills will help you most.
How the clock works
Every puzzle has a per-move clock that resets when the engine replies. How many seconds you get depends on the puzzle type and its difficulty.
- Bullet-style puzzles give you about 7 to 11 seconds per move.
- Endgame puzzles give you up to 40 to 50 seconds per move.
- Easier tiers get a bit less time, harder tiers get a bit more. The floor is 7 seconds per move and the ceiling is around 50.
Each drill runs 5 to 7 of your moves, so a puzzle takes about 35 seconds to 6 minutes.
About
The idea behind ClutchChess.
Hi, I'm Thomas, and I play a lot of chess. After enough tournaments online and over the board, I realized how important the clock was during my play. Lots of my losses and wins almost always came down to the clock. I wanted to get better under time pressure, so I built ClutchChess.
Most players don't struggle because they didn't know the move. They lose because they couldn't find it in time. The clock decides more games in any time control than calculation does.
Regular puzzle trainers ignore the clock. They check whether you eventually find the answer with as much time as you need, which isn't how a real game works.
ClutchChess isn't a puzzle solver with just a timer bolted on. Time limits scale to the position, your rating climbs faster when you solve quickly under pressure, and most importantly, the engine plays the position out against you instead of checking an answer key.
I built this to make you better when it counts, not just better at puzzles.
Have any feedback? Share it with us on our feedback form!
Puzzles sourced from the Lichess open puzzle database, released under CC0 1.0. ClutchChess LLC is a registered limited liability company and is not affiliated with or endorsed by Lichess.