Stalling (gaming)

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Stalling, in a timed game, refers to obstructing the flow of play while in the lead, in the hopes of maintaining it.

Stalling cannot generally be pursued in games without a time limit, such as baseball or tennis, unless to try the endurance of one's opponents (for example, when a batter hits many foul balls to avoid striking out but also to wear out a pitcher). However, it can be pursued in games with defined end-times. For example, a leading team in soccer or football has a strategic interest in slowing the flow of a game-- the team is therefore more likely to maintain the lead (this is known as killing the clock).

One game without a time limit where stalling can occur is tournament poker. Normally, prize payouts in poker tournaments are determined by the order in which players are eliminated. In tournaments with more than a few players, players are seated at multiple tables, each of which plays hands independently of the others. By slowing the pace of play at one's own table, a player can survive longer, possibly winning a larger prize than they might otherwise.

In mental games, the distinction between legitimate deliberation and stalling is difficult to define.

Different games deal with the possibility of stalling in different ways. Some allow some forms of stalling, whereas others penalize it. For example, in games such as chess, a game clock is used to prevent players from overly delaying the game. In some sports, teams may be given a time limit within which they must make their next play. This is the purpose of the shot clock in basketball and the play clock in football. Most poker tournaments use hand-for-hand play at key points in the tournament to discourage stalling.

Stalling can also be used strategically and can be a disadvantage for yourself in other card games that also require luck of the draw, such as Magic, the Gathering, among others. Stalling in these battle-type card games may allow you to consider playing strategies but can also allow the opponent to consider how to counter any possible actions that may occur.