Chess tactics
What Is a Zwischenzug in Chess?
A zwischenzug, German for in-between move, is a forcing move played instead of the expected reply, usually instead of an obvious recapture. It makes a threat the opponent must answer first, then the player completes the original idea with extra gain.
Example
1. Rxe8+ Kh7 2. Nxd2
Black has just taken White's queen on d2 and expects Nxd2. White first plays Rxe8+, capturing the rook that the queen used to guard. Only after the forced Kh7 does White recapture on d2, finishing a full rook ahead.
How a zwischenzug works
Players expect a sequence: you take, I take back. A zwischenzug breaks that sequence. Before recapturing, you play a move that demands an answer, such as a check, a capture with check, or a threat to the queen. The piece you were going to recapture is usually still there afterward.
The in-between move has to be forcing. If the opponent can ignore it and save the piece you meant to recapture, the zwischenzug just loses material.
How to find them
Every time you are about to recapture, pause and look for checks and captures first. The position has just changed, and pieces may have been left loose. In the example, the queen capture on d2 left the rook on e8 without its defender.
Queen trades are a common setting. When the opponent takes your queen, look for a capture with check elsewhere before taking back, as in the example.
Also check before you start an exchange. If your opponent has a check or a stronger capture in the middle of your planned sequence, the sequence may not work.
Defending against it
When you calculate a trade, look at the opponent's checks and captures at each step, not just the expected recapture. Keeping pieces defended and the king safe from checks leaves fewer in-between moves for the opponent.
Common questions
What does zwischenzug mean?
It is German for intermediate move or in-between move. Some English books use the Italian word intermezzo for the same idea.
Is a zwischenzug always a check?
No. Checks are the most common because they must be answered, but a capture or a threat to win the queen can work too, as long as the opponent cannot afford to ignore it.
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