The tutor defines an oft-used term in chess.

I’m sure I first heard zugzwang used by Sean Godley of Killegar Chess. I got the impression it meant “overextended” – that one piece was protecting two others. Therefore, after an exchange, the other piece would drop for free.

Since first hearing zugzwang, I’ve heard it countless times. I’ve learned that the formal definition could be worded as follows:

Zugzwang: a situation in which the player must move, but every possible move will worsen the player’s own position. The player would be better off if they didn’t have to move.

Games like chess, in which the player must change their position each turn, are prone to instances of zugzwang. However, not all games require change each turn. Some card games allow one to draw but discard the same card, maintaining the same hand over successive turns. Zugzwang is not necessarily relevant in those games.

Source:

danheisman.com

Jack of Oracle Tutoring by Jack and Diane, Campbell River, BC.