Preferred overtime formats?

[Blake]

I've just tried the KGS automatcher for the first time (that I can remember, at least), and ended up in a "Fast" game with 20 second byo-yomi. I found this almost unplayable, and made an elementary reading error in byo-yomi that cost me a pretty good game. What do you guys find is the best overtime format for your reading, and how long must it be?

[jts]

For me, there's no real best. The more time I have, the more time I spend reading. The question is how much fun you have reading in any given byo-yomi period.

It's also worth noting that I have a strong bias towards moving in the first 2s of a 10s period, and the first 5s of a 30s period. When I've been playing a lot of games online I get into the swing of using the periods ruthlessly and can read much further in one period, if I focus on it.

Anyway, you can go under Automatch Preferences and uncheck blitz and fast.

[Phelan]

I've found that playing the "Fast" setting on KGS means that I might not have enough time towards the late game. Faster than that is an almost guaranteed loss on time.

That doesn't mean I don't normally play fast, but that I take a very long time on some moves.

As for general overtime format preference, I prefer Canadian style overtime to others (haven't really tried Fischer yet though).

[Shaddy]

30-40 second byo-yomi is enough for me in most situations

[cdybeijing]

Fischer time is supreme and Kaya has it. If you have never played a game with this setting, try it and realize what you've been missing.

[ez4u]

Fischer time is supreme and Kaya has it. If you have never played a game with this setting, try it and realize what you've been missing.

Exactly!!!

[hyperpape]

10s - panic
20s - difficult
30s - totally comfortable

I'm surprised about the difference between 20s and 30s. I suspect that I gravitate towards doing a certain amount of reading/staring at the board on any given move that I don't find obviuos, and 20s is cutting me off just a little too fast.

I do find that to think for more than 30s, instead of just letting my mind wander, takes work. So that fits with the theory.

[oren]

Fischer time is supreme and Kaya has it. If you have never played a game with this setting, try it and realize what you've been missing.

What are your favorite increments then?

[ez4u]

Fischer time is supreme and Kaya has it. If you have never played a game with this setting, try it and realize what you've been missing.

What are your favorite increments then?

So far I have been using mainly 5/20 (5 minutes main time plus 20 seconds per move increment). That delivers 45 minutes total time for each side in a 240-move game. Comfort-wise, even 40-second byo-yomi isn't as good for me because I panic in the squeezes and with BY once they start they never go away. I find that when I think a long time and run my time down in Fischer, I am ready to play more than one move so I immediately get back some cushion.

BTW, blitzy types think 5/20's way to slow. But as always I say, "You-know-what 'em if they can't take a joke"!