How to use an Ing Clock

Introduction

Ing clocks are speaking digital clocks with two displays, one for the black player facing him and one for the white player facing her.

The black player can press a large black button when he has moved and a small white button to view the time remaining for his opponent. Similarly the white player has a large white button and a small black one.

Controls are under a hinged lid and are:

• Power on/off
• Black language (usually either Chinese or English)
• White language (usually either Chinese or English)
• Mode: run/set
• Option: basic time or byoyomi
• Fast: Keeping this button down makes the currently running clock fast-forward. This allows you to set different remaining time for the players (like for example, when you have to change clocks due to battery failure).

There is a volume control on the side which should not be set at full volume. Many players prefer silence. If either player enters byoyomi, their preference for volume should be allowed.

Setting the clock

• Turn the clock off. This is the best way to reset the clocks.
• Turn the clock on.
• Select mode: set.
• Select option: basic time.
• Press the large black and white buttons to set the hours and minutes required. One does the hours, the other does the minutes (I can't remember which is which).
  • Thus 1:30 means 1 hour 30 minutes.
  • Note that the buttons auto-repeat if left depressed.
  • Some individual clocks have a fault that locks them up if you auto-repeat from single digit to two digits (IE from 9 -> 10). If that happens, start again and use many short presses until past 10.
  • I do not know if, having overshot, you can cycle right the way round to achieve a correct setting.
• Select option: byoyomi.
• Press the large black and white buttons to set the number of moves to be played in a set number of seconds. One does the moves, the other does the seconds (I can't remember which is which).
  • Thus 1:30 means 1 move in 30 seconds.
  • 1:60 means 1 move in 60 seconds.
  • Only multiples of 10 seconds work properly.
• Select mode: run.
• Select the spoken languages for black and for white.
• Close the lid.

Using the clock

• The clock displays the move number as well as the time.
• To get the move number correct, at the start of the game the second player (usually white) should press his (large) button to start the first player's clock. The first player can now make move 1 and press his button.
• It is common for people to not press their button well enough for the clock to respond properly. Sometimes it ignores a brief press completely. Sometimes it appears to start the other clock but not increment the move number - (true or urban legend?).
• For the first two moves the clock will speak a phrase similar to "Black clock timing commences". It also warns of basic time running out - "Black only 10 minutes left"
• When you get into byoyomi the clock speaks all the time, counting out in 10 seconds, but beware it counts up telling how much time you have used and not how much time you have left. Some players find this confusing.
• When in byoyomi, ensure that your button is well pressed and inside the time limit. The clock is rigorous and if you press the button at 30.1s in a 30s byoyomi setting the clock is stopped and you have an F for 'failed' or 'forfeit'.
• You can pause the clock by selecting mode: set. Restart the clock by selecting: run.