1. Time Per Move (short vs. long)
Short time (bullet/fast games) → low or medium calculation depth.
Example: Only 12–20 plies deep.
Plays well but can miss deep tactics.
Medium time (blitz/rapid) → medium calculation depth.
Example: 25–30 plies deep.
Finds most tactics, much stronger.
Long time (classical/analysis) → maximum calculation depth.
Example: 40–50+ plies deep.
Near-perfect accuracy, almost unbeatable.
So: shorter time = weaker calculation, longer time = stronger calculation.
2. Depth Setting (how far ahead Stockfish calculates)
Depth = number of half-moves (“plies”) the engine looks ahead.
Depth 20 → about 10 moves for each side.
Depth 40 → about 20 moves for each side.
Higher depth means more accurate results, but also takes more time.
In sharp positions (tactics, checks, promotions), Stockfish extends depth dynamically to avoid blunders.
