What is Zwischenzug (in-between move) in chess?
An unexpected move inserted before the 'expected' recapture.
Instead of recapturing immediately, you play a more forcing move first - a check or bigger threat - and recapture afterward, often winning extra material.
Spot zwischenzug (in-between move) in your own games
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- TempoA single move counted as a unit of time.
- DevelopmentBringing your knights and bishops off the back rank into the game.
- InitiativeBeing the side making threats and dictating play.
- OppositionA king-and-pawn endgame technique of facing kings with one square between them.
- Promotion (queening)A pawn reaching the far rank becomes any piece, almost always a queen.
- Passed pawnA pawn with no enemy pawns able to block or capture it on its way to promotion.