This article is about the move interposition tactic. For the disadvantageous requirement to move, see Zugzwang.
The zwischenzug (German: pronounced[ˈtsvɪʃənˌtsuːk], "intermediate move"; also called an in-between move) is a chess tactic in which a player, instead of playing the expected move (commonly a recapture), first interposes another move posing an immediate threat that the opponent must answer, and only then plays the expected move.[1][2] It is a move that has a high degree of "initiative". Ideally, the zwischenzug changes the situation to the player's advantage, such as by gaining material or avoiding what would otherwise be a strong continuation for the opponent.
Such a move is also called an intermezzo[3] (lit.'intermediate move')[4] or in-between move.[5][6] When the intermediate move is a check, it is sometimes called an in-between check,[7]zwischenschach,[8] or zwischen-check.[9]
As with any fairly common chess tactic, it is impossible to pinpoint when the first zwischenzug was played. Three early examples are Lichtenhein–Morphy, New York 1857; Rosenthal–De Vere, Paris 1867; and Tartakower–José Raúl Capablanca, New York 1924. The first known use of the term zwischenzug, however, did not occur until 1933, when the prolific American chess authors Fred Reinfeld and Irving Chernev used it in their book Chess Strategy and Tactics.
This article uses algebraic notation to describe chess moves.
The zwischenzug (German: pronounced [ˈtsvɪʃənˌtsuːk], "intermediate move"; also called an in-between move) is a chess tactic in which a player, instead...
sacrificed) for some other tactical advantage or for tempo; employ a zwischenzug (create a counter-threat). When a player is able to capture the opponent's...
defender by interposing a piece. intermediate move See zwischenzug. intermezzo See zwischenzug. International Arbiter A tournament official who arbitrates...
and 6...hxg6. 6...Nf6 usually leads, after 7.Qe5+ Be7 8.Bb5+! (a small zwischenzug to deprive Black's knight of the c6-square) 8...c6 9.Nxe7 Qxe7 10.Qxe7+...
Global Information