What is Tempo in chess?
A single move counted as a unit of time.
Gaining a tempo means making progress while forcing your opponent to react. Wasting tempi - moving the same piece repeatedly in the opening - is a common beginner mistake.
Spot tempo in your own games
Free. Chess2EZ finds the patterns you keep missing and explains each in plain English.
Analyze my games →More chess terms
- InitiativeBeing the side making threats and dictating play.
- OutpostA square (often supported by a pawn) that an enemy pawn can never attack.
- Weak squareA square that cannot be defended by a friendly pawn, making it vulnerable to enemy occupation.
- HoleA square in your position that your own pawns can never defend, creating a permanent weakness.
- Isolated pawnA pawn with no friendly pawns on the adjacent files.
- Doubled pawnsTwo friendly pawns stacked on the same file.