zugzwang

American  

[tsook-tsvahng] / ˈtsukˌtsvɑŋ /

noun

Chess.

1. a situation in which a player is limited to moves that cost pieces or have a damaging positional effect.

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zugzwang British  

/ ˈtsuːktsvaŋ /

noun

1. a position in which one player can move only with loss or severe disadvantage

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verb

1. (tr) to manoeuvre (one's opponent) into a zugzwang

Etymology

Origin of zugzwang

First recorded in 1900–05; from German, equivalent to Zug “move, pull” + Zwang “constraint, obligation”

Example Sentences

A player in zugzwang has no good moves.

From Literature

White’s position is bleak and approaching zugzwang as none of her pieces can move without material loss.

From Washington Times

One of his best games came against New Jersey GM Brandon Jacobson in Round 5, tying up his opponent with a neat positional zugzwang out of an unconventional King’s Indian set-up.

From Washington Times

He likened his dilemma to a "zugzwang" - the position where a player in chess or draughts faces only bad moves.

From BBC

"There's this position on the board called 'zugzwang' which means there's no good move to make ... and that's what we had yesterday, a zugzwang," he told Reuters.

From Reuters