Quick answer
Zugzwang is a position where the player to move would rather pass, because every legal move makes their position worse. Chess doesn't allow passing, so they have to weaken themselves. It's most common in king and pawn endgames. In , whoever is on move loses their pawn and the game.
- Meaning
- “Compulsion to move” (German)
- Where
- Mostly endgames, especially king and pawn endings
- Key idea
- Having the move is a disadvantage
- Related
- The opposition, triangulation and stalemate
Key ideas in 20 seconds
You can't passEvery turn you must make a move, even a bad one.
Whoever moves losesIn mutual zugzwang, the turn decides the game.
The oppositionKings facing each other: the side to move gives way.
Count the tempoSpare pawn moves let you hand the move back.
Squeeze firstTake away useful moves and the win often comes by itself.
What does zugzwang mean?
Here both kings attack the enemy pawn, and each pawn is defended only by its own king. If White has to move, the king must step away from c4 and Black takes it. If Black has to move, White takes c5 instead. Whoever is on move loses. This position is called the trébuchet, and it's the purest example of mutual zugzwang.
❓ Quick check
In the trébuchet, who is better if it is White to move?
White must move the king away from c4, so Black wins the pawn and the game.
The opposition: zugzwang in pawn endgames
The most useful kind of zugzwang is the opposition. When the kings face each other with one square between them, the side that has to move must give way. In this position, if Black is to move, Black's king has to step aside and White's king marches forward: Stockfish says White wins. If White is to move, it's only a draw. Same position, different result, just because of whose turn it is.
❓ Quick check
Kings on e4 and e6, White pawn on e3. If you're White, who do you want to be on move?
If Black has to move, Black's king gives way and White wins. If White has to move, it's a draw.
Zugzwang in the middlegame
Zugzwang is rare with lots of pieces on the board, because there are usually harmless waiting moves. It appears when one side is completely tied up: every piece is guarding something, and any move lets something go. The famous game Sämisch–Nimzowitsch (Copenhagen, 1923), often called the "Immortal Zugzwang Game", ends exactly like that.
How to use zugzwang in your games
- In king and pawn endgames, count who will be on move. Often the winner is simply the player who gets the opposition.
- Keep waiting moves in reserve. A spare pawn move, or a king move that keeps everything protected, can hand the move back to your opponent.
- Learn triangulation. A king can "lose" a move by walking in a small triangle, putting the opponent in zugzwang.
- Squeeze before you strike. Take away your opponent's useful moves first; the winning breakthrough often comes by itself.
Common mistakes
- Rushing the king forward. Walking straight at the enemy king often gives away the opposition.
- Pushing pawns too early. Pawn moves are your spare tempi. Keep them for when you need to pass the move.
- Forgetting about stalemate. When your opponent has no moves at all, it isn't zugzwang, it's stalemate, and that's a draw.
💡 Club-level tip
In any king and pawn endgame, before you move your king, ask yourself: after my move, who has the opposition? That one question wins (and saves) a lot of club games. You'll also find zugzwang among our 28 tactics.
Frequently asked questions
What does zugzwang mean?
It's German for 'compulsion to move'. In chess it describes a position where any move the player makes worsens their position.
How do you pronounce zugzwang?
Roughly TSOOK-tsvahng, the German way. Many English speakers say ZUG-zwang, and both are understood.
What is the difference between zugzwang and stalemate?
In zugzwang the player has legal moves, but they all hurt. In stalemate the player has no legal move at all and isn't in check, and the game is a draw.
What is mutual zugzwang?
A position where whoever has to move is worse off, like the trébuchet. The result depends only on whose turn it is.
Is zugzwang only in endgames?
Mostly, but not only. It can happen in the middlegame when one side is completely tied up, as in Sämisch–Nimzowitsch, 1923.
Test yourself
4 positions from this lesson. Play White: can you find the move?