This article is about the disadvantageous requirement to move. For the move interposition tactic, see Zwischenzug . For other uses, see Zugzwang (disambiguation) . Zugzwang (from German ' compulsion to move ' ; pronounced [ˈtsuːktsvaŋ] ) is a situation found in chess and other turn-based games wherein one player is put at a disadvantage because of their obligation to make a move; a player is said to be "in zugzwang" when any legal move will worsen their position. [ 1 ] Although the term is used less precisely in games such as chess, it is used specifically in combinatorial game theory to denote a move that directly changes the outcome of the game from a win to a loss. [ 2 ] [ 3 ] Putting the opponent in zugzwang is a common way to help the superior side win a game, and in some cases it is necessary in order to make the win possible. [ 4 ] More generally, the term can also be used to describe a situation where passing the turn, if this were allowed, would be the best move.…