action chess

Action chess, also known as active chess or game/25, is a faster-paced variation of traditional chess. It emerged in the mid-1980s, allowing an entire game to be played within a 25-minute time limit for each player. This format became popular because it enabled quicker game completion, allowing tournaments to finish in a single evening. Despite the reduced time, relative playing strengths generally remained consistent, with top players like Anatoly Karpov, Vladimir Kramnik, and Gary Kasparov winning major action chess events. This faster time control has been adopted by FIDE for tie-breaking in significant tournaments.1