DGT Electronic Chess Clocks: DGT 3000, DGT 2010 and the Link with DGT Boards
The DGT 3000 is DGT’s most complete electronic chess clock: approved by FIDE, it handles Fischer increment, delay, Bronstein mode and byo-yomi. The DGT 2010, older and simpler, was FIDE’s official clock. For a club player, the DGT 3000 is the most durable choice; the DGT 2010 is enough for everyday use.
Increment clock: a clock that adds a fixed amount of time after each move played. FIDE’s rules speak of “cumulative” or Fischer mode: extra time, often 30 seconds, is granted with each move. The FIDE glossary sets the increment between 2 and 60 seconds.
DGT 3000 and DGT 2010: The Comparison
DGT was born from a clock. In the mid-1980s, Ben Bulsink, then a student at the University of Twente, hand-built about sixty electronic clocks. In the early 1990s, FIDE awarded DGT the official clock contract. The two current models descend from that work.
| Criterion | DGT 3000 | DGT 2010 |
|---|---|---|
| Introduced | 2014 | 2007 |
| FIDE status | Approved by FIDE | FIDE’s official clock since 2008 |
| Preset settings | 24, plus 5 manual slots | 22, plus manual settings |
| Time modes | Fischer, delay, US delay, Bronstein, byo-yomi, Canadian byo-yomi, Scrabble mode | Classic modes with increment and delay |
| Power | 2 AA batteries | 2 AA batteries |
| Manufacturer’s warranty | 5 years | 2 years |
| Link with DGT boards | Basis of the DGT Pi; linked via the Chessconnect extension | Standalone use |
DGT 3000: The Clock of Today’s Tournaments
The DGT 3000 is recognisable by its large display and its rich programming. Its 24 preset time controls cover the usual needs (blitz, rapid, long games with increment) and the 5 manual slots let you keep your own club’s time controls. Bronstein mode gives back, after each move, the time actually used up to the limit of a delay; byo-yomi, which comes from the game of Go, grants fixed periods of time once the main time has run out.
It is also the heart of the DGT Pi: a DGT 3000 into which DGT has built a small Raspberry Pi computer. Linked to an e-Board, it becomes a complete chess computer. We detail this combination on our page on the range of DGT boards.
We observed the DGT 3000 at between about €67 and €85 at European retailers, and around €120 in a limited edition. Indicative price observed, on 18/10/2026.
DGT 2010: FIDE’s Former Official Clock
Released in 2007 and made FIDE’s official clock in 2008, the DGT 2010 has equipped a great many clubs. It offers 22 preprogrammed time controls and manual settings, runs on two AA batteries and remains very simple to use. Its sturdiness makes it a safe bet second-hand. Its display and options are less rich than those of the DGT 3000, but for the increment time controls played at clubs, it does the job.
Understanding Fischer Increment and Delay
FIDE’s Laws of Chess (article 6.3) provide that each player must make the required number of moves in the allotted time, including any extra time added after each move. Two main families exist:
- Cumulative (Fischer) mode: the added time accumulates if you move quickly. A time control written “90 min + 30 s” adds 30 seconds after each move.
- Delay mode: the main time only starts counting down once a fixed delay has elapsed; unused delay time is not kept.
Both DGT clocks handle these modes. The DGT 3000 adds rarer variants (US delay, Canadian byo-yomi) useful in some countries or for other games.
Electronic Clock or Mechanical Clock?
Mechanical clocks with two dials and a flag have accompanied generations of players, and they remain valued for their charm and for needing no batteries. Yet they cannot add an increment after each move. Many tournaments are now played with an increment: an electronic clock quickly becomes essential once you play competitively.
For casual use at home, without increment, a mechanical clock or a wooden clock keeps all its appeal. For the club and the tournament, the DGT 3000 or the DGT 2010 is the obvious choice.
Using an Electronic Clock Well
- Check the batteries before a tournament: two AA batteries cost next to nothing, while a clock that switches off in the middle of a game creates a real problem for the arbiter.
- Save your club’s time controls in the DGT 3000’s manual slots so you don’t have to reprogram them every evening.
- Press with the hand that made the move: this is the rule in competition, and it avoids oversights.
- Place the clock on the side chosen by the arbiter: at a tournament, its position is set by the arbiter; it is not left to the players’ choice.
Which DGT Clock Should You Choose?
- Club player starting out in tournaments: a second-hand DGT 2010 in good condition, or a new DGT 3000 if the budget allows.
- Club or arbiter: the DGT 3000, for current FIDE approval, the 5-year warranty and the manual slots.
- Electronics enthusiast: the DGT Pi, which also doubles as a chess computer with an e-Board.
For a first chess computer rather than a clock, see the DGT Centaur. And to compare the models available, including wooden clocks for casual use, browse the chess clocks at Le Palais des Échecs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the DGT 3000 approved by FIDE?
Yes. DGT presents it as approved by FIDE. The DGT 2010, for its part, was FIDE’s official clock from 2008.
What is the difference between the DGT 3000 and the DGT 2010?
The DGT 3000, more recent (2014), offers 24 preset settings and 5 manual slots, more modes (Bronstein, byo-yomi, US delay) and a 5-year warranty. The DGT 2010 (2007) offers 22 settings and a 2-year warranty.
What is the Fischer increment?
It is a fixed amount of time added after each move played, which accumulates if the player moves quickly. FIDE calls it cumulative mode; the increment is between 2 and 60 seconds, often 30 seconds in a long game.
Which batteries does a DGT clock use?
Both the DGT 3000 and the DGT 2010 run on two AA batteries, according to the manufacturer.