Time-pressure annotation symbol

Time pressure is a practical condition in which limited clock time forces faster decisions and raises the risk of error. In Scid's NAG table, ⊕ marks moderate clock pressure for White and ⊖ for Black. Repeating the sign, ⊕⊕ or ⊖⊖, marks severe pressure.

NAG means Numeric Annotation Glyph, a number stored with the game that software displays as text or a symbol. This coding preserves which player was under pressure and the stated degree, even when a printed publication uses a simpler presentation.

The mark does not evaluate the board position. A player can be winning yet make mistakes because of the clock, or be losing with plenty of time. It should also not be confused with a development advantage, sometimes called an advantage in time during the opening. There, time means useful moves spent activating pieces, not seconds on the clock.