Are games getting faster?

I've played 3 minute chess for many years, more recently on another site. On coming back here, most of my opponents are playing much faster than on the other site, and quicker than I remember.

So my opponents aren't playing 3 minute chess - they're playing bullet, at least initially. Some I checkmate with them having used less than 15 seconds of their clock on a 3 minute game, other games end with less than half clock time being used, others have 85+ moves in a 3 minute game.

I wondered if anyone feels that the pace of play has increased?

Of course, the best response is to play at a normal pace and take advantages of my opponents' blunders, but this is hard to do especially since I normally try hard to be up a little on the clock!

@russell2601 said in #1:
> I've played 3 minute chess for many years, more recently on another site. On coming back here

you can say chesscom here, no problem. calling it "another site" is silly.

@glbert said in #2:
> you can say chesscom here, no problem. calling it "another site" is silly.

Well... There's also ICC, Fics, Playchess, and the chess server of GM Dzindzi of which I forgot the name, and even on chesstempo chess games can be played since years.
If the OP would have called it "That other chess site that should not be named" then chessdotcom could have been assumed ;-)

@russell2601 said in #1:
> I've played 3 minute chess for many years, more recently on another site. On coming back here, most of my opponents are playing much faster than on the other site, and quicker than I remember.

I have the same impression. I think it is fair to say that since the Covid-19 pandemic, and the popularity of the Queen's Gambit video, lots of people have picked up chess, and there is maybe a focus on learning chess from videos and video streamers. This has also lead to an influx of new chess players on Lichess. Several years ago one could join the Lichess Marathons and as a 2000+ player have a chance for top 100 or top 50. That is no longer the case, as there are a lot more stronger players on Lichess now.

@achja said in #3:
> Well... There's also ICC, Fics, Playchess, and the chess server of GM Dzindzi of which I forgot the name

that's kind of my point. they can just name the chess site so people can actually make a comparison. anyway, i assumed it was chesscom because on the ones you named barely anyone is playing anymore.

I don't think it matters how fast your opponent plays. What matters is whether you are playing fast enough to win the game. If the competition is the same, then you'll most likely have to make 40 moves minimum (to get mate) and in the end game you'll want a connection speed that lets you make up to 70, maybe even 80 moves. Whether you move faster in the beginning or at the end, doesn't matter, as long as you know that you'll probably need to make 40-50 moves minimum to win. That principle applies in Classical, Blitz and Bullet. In all three, you will need 40+ moves....so if you are moving slower than that you are going to have a hard time.

Sorry I wasn't trying to create a mystery! I've been playing on Chess Tempo which, whilst different to lichess, is also a great site :)

How do you think I feel? Back when I was playing a lot, nobody had even heard of 3-min. It was always 5.