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Zugzwang: you don't want to move, but you have to

Every move makes your position worse, but in chess you can't pass. The idea that decides more endgames than any other.

Also called：Zugzwang、Mutual zugzwang、Reciprocal zugzwang

Zugzwang is when it's your turn, but every move makes your position worse. In chess you can't skip a move, so the side in zugzwang has to give up an important square. The word is German and means "compulsion to move". With so few pieces left, zugzwang decides a lot of endgames, and once you learn to spot it, many draws turn into wins when you play free chess.

The key position

The black king is perfectly placed. If it could just stay put, White couldn't make progress. But it is Black's move, and the only square the king can go to is f7. As soon as it steps away, the white king goes to d7 and the pawn promotes.

How it works

Black to move: forced to step aside

The black king can only go to f7. The white king goes to d7 to cover e8, and the pawn promotes next move.

White to move: mutual zugzwang

What if, in the same position, it's White to move?

The white king goes to e6, and the black king has no legal moves but isn't in check: stalemate. If the white king goes anywhere else, the black king takes the pawn on e7. Tablebase: draw.

A position where whoever has to move is worse off is called mutual zugzwang. Black to move, Black loses; White to move, it's only a draw. That's why in endgames you often have to work out: when we reach this position, whose move will it be?

Use a waiting move to hand over the turn

If you have a spare move that doesn't hurt your position, you can use it to make your opponent move:

The white king on d7 attacks the pawn on c7, and the black king on b8 defends it. The white king goes to d8 and still attacks c7, but now the black king has no good move (b7 is covered by the pawn on c6). It has to step away, and the white king takes the pawn.

Common mistakes

The most common mistake with zugzwang is when the defender fails to reach the mutual zugzwang first:

The black king goes to d8? The white king immediately goes to d6, and it's zugzwang with Black to move. The black king has to give way. Tablebase: Black loses.

The right move is Kc7: the black king stands in front of the pawn, and the kings reach the mutual zugzwang with White to move. Tablebase: draw.

Practice puzzles

White to move. The white king is on c6, the pawn on d6, and the black king on d8. Which move puts Black in zugzwang?
Show answer

1. d7 d7! The black king can only go to e7, the white king goes to c7, and the pawn promotes. Any king move to the side is a draw according to the tablebase.

White to move. The white king is on f6, the pawn on e6, and the black king on e8. Which move wins?
Show answer

1. e7 e7! The black king can only go to d7, the white king goes to f7, and the pawn promotes. Any king move instead is a draw according to the tablebase.

FAQ

What's the difference between zugzwang and stalemate?

Stalemate means you have no legal move at all and you aren't in check: the game is drawn immediately. Zugzwang means you do have moves, but every one of them makes things worse. Stalemate is often a trap inside a zugzwang position; in the example, the white king going to e6 is stalemate.

Does zugzwang only happen in endgames?

It happens in the middlegame too, but rarely, because with lots of pieces on the board there's almost always a harmless spare move. In the endgame there are few pieces, the spare moves run out, and zugzwang is very common.

How can I learn to spot zugzwang?

Pawn endgames are the best practice. Before you move, ask yourself: "If it were my opponent's move right now, would he be in trouble?" If the answer is yes, look for a spare move, or use triangulation, to hand the turn over.

Try it yourself

Zugzwang, the opposition and triangulation belong together, so go back to chess endgames and read them as a set. Then play chess online against the computer, practice pawn endgames, and before each move ask: whose turn would hurt more right now?

Practise in a game

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