I'm not wondering so much about byo-yomi vs simple vs fischer and so on but rather I'm asking about the amount of time you prefer to play with? Personally, I don't like playing fast and I never like to be rushed. I also don't want my opponent to feel like he's in a hurry either. I hate it when I win or lose on time and feel that strict time limits diminish the beauty of the game (that is DEFINITELY a personal opinion, blitz lovers). To me, Go is a slow game where you're expected to consider every stone on every move and read out the position as best as you are able. I love it when I find someone willing to sit down and play a four hour game with me, but I could understand that being a bit excessive for some people. But why the attraction to speed-go? At least on OGS, probably 90 % of people are playing with less than 30 minutes and many play with 5 to 10 and many people dont even come close to using it up. I could see that if you had to go somewhere soon and didnt have time to really play but even then I'd just play 9x9 or 13x13 because I don't even feel like I'm playing go if I'm moving that fast. In fact, I never even use a clock when playing over-the-board and the only reason I use one on the internet is so my opponent won't go make a sandwich or just stop playing with the intention of picking up later. What do others think?

_________________
Thinking like a go player during a game of chess is like bringing a knife to a gun-fight. Thinking like a chess player during a game of go feels like getting knifed while you're holding a gun...

Do you mean four hours to each side, so eight hours for one game?

I prefer the 25 min main + byo-yomi on KGS, but I also play 10 min main + byo-yomi. For me, it's about being able to get in a few more games.

Over the board, I don't use a timer. But I still don't normally take that long.

It's a bad habit, I should spend more time thinking about my moves, instead of playing so quickly.

_________________
Go Books

I meant four hours for the whole game. I think the longest game I've play was about 5 and half hours long (and my adrenaline was pumping every second of it)

_________________
Thinking like a go player during a game of chess is like bringing a knife to a gun-fight. Thinking like a chess player during a game of go feels like getting knifed while you're holding a gun...

One hour for a game should be enough.

Cheers,
Vesa

My first experience with playing games this long were at the US Go Congress tournaments. For the lower level players, the main time is 90 min each, and for the higher level players, 2 hours each.

I really enjoyed being able to not feel rushed to play my games.

I don't like playing that slow for casual or social games though. But I've never enjoyed blitz games (I once played 10 min sudden death game with Nakano 9p, and had more fun than I thought I would)

For me, 10 minute main time, 30 second byoyomi of 3 periods is relaxing, which usually leads to a 30 - 40 minute game. A 5 minute main time, 20 second byoyomi of 3 periods game is brisk, which usually leads to a 15 - 20 minute game. I play both of these time settings frequently; I also notice the latter time setting to be a very popular choice among the 9d players on Tygem. On KGS, I just play 10 second blitz games.

I like 30 minutes + 5 periods of 30 second byo-yomi. Takes awhile to finish a game like that, though.

_________________
be immersed

Short main time + 20s/move

I generally like the KGS medium setting or the default time on IGS. The timing systems are different, but both lead to games that usually run 45 minutes to an hour. I'll occasionally play faster games, but that can lead to feeling rushed.

I don't time my (infrequent) face to face games, but I often play a little slower. Certainly I don't mind if my opponent takes their time. It feels significantly different to share time over the board than to stare at a screen waiting for my opponent to move.

Just curious, what is it about this game play speed that attracts you? Do you not enjoy longer games at all?

_________________
Thinking like a go player during a game of chess is like bringing a knife to a gun-fight. Thinking like a chess player during a game of go feels like getting knifed while you're holding a gun...

It's hard to find over an hour free to play games. 20s/move game can last 30-40 min with about a 10 min self review following. That's about perfect for me.

I enjoy longer games occasionally, but I probably prefer more games.

I'm not bothered by playing the opening or the endgame pretty fast (15s or 20s/move) but I really like to do some deep-ish reading in the middlegame ans spend a few minutes on the most important moves. So I almost never play less than 20min, and mostly 25 to 40 minute main time game.

I play blitz sometimes for the experience and improving other aspects of my game, but I don't enjoy it as much. Usually 15s/move as I keep losing by time at 10s/move (or I put down stones anywhere in a panic).

_________________
La victoire est un hasard, la défaite une nécessité.

I guess I really shouldn't say that playing faster diminishes the beauty of the game. What would be more accurate is to say something more like: blitz play requires an appreciation for different aspects of the game than does standard timing. There's a grand master that comes to my Chess club and he refuses to ever play with more than 5 minutes on each players clock. If he's really serious than he plays 1 minute; this to say, it's just an attraction to a different facets of the given game and I certainly can't call one way superior to the other.

Also, I've read an article somewhere encouraging players to play at least a little blitz, claiming that it reinforces pattern recognition. I've also read things that say the opposite... Any thoughts?

_________________
Thinking like a go player during a game of chess is like bringing a knife to a gun-fight. Thinking like a chess player during a game of go feels like getting knifed while you're holding a gun...

Play what you have the most fun with. It's a game and you should have fun.

If you're really focused on getting better, find a teacher. Then follow the teacher's advice on what to play.

I prefer 30-40 minutes main time with 3-5x 30s byo-yomi.

I have come to appreciate Canadian overtime for longer games though. I tend to drink coffee or tea while I play. Running to the bathroom during a long endgame is possible with Canadian, but not really an option with Japanese times.

If I'm playing a long game with Japanese times, I'll almost always take a break with around 5:00 left on my clock, just to be safe.

OTB, I think the best time control is no time control. The clubs I've played in don't use clocks. Unless it's a tournament, I think that's best.

Online, I've used everything from 10 minutes absolute, which is crazy, to organized online classes with 45 minutes main time + 5x30 byoyomi. They are all playable but take time to get used to. After a couple of months playing only 10 minutes absolute, it can seem pretty normal, but I don't know if it is easy to improve that way.

When I started playing, I was on IGS playing mostly 1/5 and 1/10 games*. I lost a lot of 1/5 game just on time, but I didn't care. If I wanted a game worth studying, I would choose 1/10. But 1/5 kept things moving and I was a beginner. Later on, I drifted toward longer time limits, but after my daughter was born, it was hard to get any kind of game in.

The one thing I can't do is play turn-based go with time limits. I will lose on time a lot, because after couple of weeks into the game, I may lose interest in the game or in playing the obligatory move of the day. Somehow, being forced to play or lose takes all the fun out of the game. I have never tried turn-based games without time limits and I may give that a shot some time.

My favorite online setting is the KGS automatch "fast" time control, which 10:00+5x0:20. I can usually finish the game in less than 1 hour, and although there is definitely pressure, it's probably about 80% quality for me.

[*] 1/5 is shorthand for 1 minute main time, 25 moves in 5 minutes Canadian byoyomi.