diff --git a/src/Parameters.cpp b/src/Parameters.cpp
index ba1ff5673..60bb17555 100644
--- a/src/Parameters.cpp
+++ b/src/Parameters.cpp
@@ -106,7 +106,7 @@ void Parameters::setup_default_parameters() {
     cfg_noise = false;
     cfg_randomize = false;
     cfg_timemanage = true;
-    cfg_slowmover = 89;
+    cfg_slowmover = 84;
     cfg_logfile_handle = nullptr;
     cfg_quiet = false;
     cfg_rng_seed = 0;
diff --git a/src/UCTSearch.cpp b/src/UCTSearch.cpp
index 5e5a8816b..369221bdb 100644
--- a/src/UCTSearch.cpp
+++ b/src/UCTSearch.cpp
@@ -405,10 +405,15 @@ Move UCTSearch::think(BoardHistory&& new_bh) {
 #endif
 
     // set up timing info
-
     Time.init(bh_.cur().side_to_move(), bh_.cur().game_ply());
-    m_target_time = (Limits.movetime ? Limits.movetime : Time.optimum()) - cfg_lagbuffer_ms;
     m_max_time    = Time.maximum() - cfg_lagbuffer_ms;
+    
+    if (Limits.movetime) {
+        m_target_time = Limits.movetime;
+    } else {
+       m_target_time = std::min( (int64_t)(1.5*Time.optimum()), m_max_time );        
+    }
+    
     m_start_time  = Limits.timeStarted();
 
     // create a sorted list of legal moves (make sure we