Bullet Chess Time Control: 1+0, 2+1, Hyper and Ultra
Formats · Bullet · Updated 2026-07-22
Bullet chess is any time control under 3 minutes per player. 1+0 and 2+1 are the standard controls, hyperbullet means 30 seconds a side, and ultrabullet means 15. Bullet is an online convention rather than a FIDE category - the Laws of Chess define blitz, rapid and standard, and stop there.
The full ladder, what the increment does to it, and why it is the one format that punishes learning.
The bullet ladder
| Name | Control | Per player | Whole game |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ultrabullet | 0.25+0 | 15 seconds | ~30 seconds |
| Hyperbullet | 0.5+0 | 30 seconds | ~1 minute |
| Bullet | 1+0 | 1 minute | ~2 minutes |
| Bullet | 1+1 | 1 min 40 s (base + 40 x inc) | ~3 minutes |
| Bullet | 2+1 | 2 min 40 s | ~5 minutes |
| Blitz starts | 3+0 | 3 minutes | ~6 minutes |
Where the bullet line sits depends on whose estimator you use. Lichess sorts by base time plus 40 times the increment: 29 seconds or less is ultrabullet, up to 179 seconds is bullet, and above that is blitz. So 2+1 estimates at 160 seconds and stays bullet, while 1+2 estimates at 140 seconds and does too. FIDE's own rule for its categories uses 60 times the increment instead, which is why numbers differ between sites and federations.
What actually decides bullet games
- Premoves. Online bullet is largely a premove game: you queue your reply before the opponent moves, and it executes instantly. Over the board there is no such thing, which is why over-the-board bullet plays completely differently.
- Flagging. Winning on time from a lost position is a legitimate bullet result on any sudden-death control. It is the reason serious events at every longer format use an increment.
- Increment changes everything. 1+1 is a different game from 1+0: with a second back per move, a mate can always be executed, and pure hand-speed wins mostly disappear.
- It is not training. Bullet trains recognition and mouse or hand speed, not calculation. If you are trying to improve, use it as a break, not as the plan.
A bullet clock that keeps up
Chess Clock: Board Game Timer runs bullet properly: the entire half of the screen is the press target, Core Haptics confirms every press without you looking, low-time warnings fire before the flag, and 1+0 and 2+1 are ready presets. Build 0.5+0 hyperbullet or 0.25+0 ultrabullet in the custom builder if you want the whole ladder, and use handicap mode to hand a stronger player 1 minute against your 3.
Bullet, over the board, with no fumbled presses. 1+0 and 2+1 presets, custom hyperbullet and ultrabullet, full-half-screen buttons and haptics. Free 7-day trial on the App Store. Download Chess Clock: Board Game Timer on the App Store.
Frequently asked questions
What is the bullet chess time control?
Anything under 3 minutes per player. 1+0 (one minute, no increment) and 2+1 (two minutes plus one second a move) are the two standard bullet controls online.
What are hyperbullet and ultrabullet?
Hyperbullet is 30 seconds per player, ultrabullet 15 seconds. Both are online conventions: Lichess classifies anything estimating at 29 seconds or less as ultrabullet, using base time plus 40 times the increment.
Does FIDE recognise bullet chess?
No. The FIDE Laws of Chess define blitz (10 minutes or less), rapid (more than 10, less than 60) and standard (60 minutes or more). Bullet sits below all of them and exists as an online and casual category only.
How long does a bullet chess game take?
About 2 minutes for a 1+0 game and up to 5 for 2+1, counting both clocks. A hyperbullet game is over in roughly a minute.