Sudden death

In clock terminology, sudden death means that all remaining moves must be completed within one final amount of time. There is no later control that grants another block of time. For example, an event can require a set number of moves in an earlier period and then give one hour to finish the game.

The same phrase also appears in competition regulations for a deciding game or phase after a match remains tied. There is no universal formula in that use. An event may prescribe one game in which a draw favours one side, or it may repeat games until someone wins. The time control, colours, and exact winning conditions are set by the event.

Sudden death therefore should not automatically be treated as a synonym for Armageddon. Armageddon always gives one side an explicit draw advantage so that the match has a winner. A sudden-death procedure may use that rule, but it can instead continue through games without such a draw advantage until one produces a winner.