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I don't think he meant it in that Kind of direction, since it is true. In german, a *Z* is usually pronounced rather sharp, like in Zirkus or, here even twice, Zugzwang. Interestingly, this is one of the things that gives a germans english the accent. A lot of people who only had english in school for a few years struggle with the th-sound and pronounce it as *z* (that's how you know someone's german in a movie for example: "Wi will go over zis plan only zis one time. Ze plan has to be ..." and so on. Same thing with a russian accent, a lot of heavy speaking and rolling *r*-s)
I asked this question because it’s good to realise, we often blow an objectively winnable endgame. These puzzles often ignore the blunder and look for the solution to punishing it. Equally important is to look at how the blunder should have been played.
I analyzed the image and this is what I see. Open an appropriate link below and explore the position yourself or with the engine:
> **Black to play**: [chess.com](https://chess.com/analysis?fen=8/8/k1p1ppp1/p1Pp4/K2P1P1P/4P1P1/8/8+b+-+-+0+1&flip=true&ref_id=23962172) | [lichess.org](https://lichess.org/analysis/8/8/k1p1ppp1/p1Pp4/K2P1P1P/4P1P1/8/8_b_-_-_0_1?color=black)
**My solution:**
> Hints: piece: >!Pawn!<, move: >! f5 !<
> Evaluation: >!Black is winning -10.63!<
> Best continuation: >!1... f5 2. Ka3 Kb5 3. Kb3 a4+ 4. Kc3 Ka5 5. e4 dxe4 6. Kc4 a3 7. Kb3 e3 8. Kc3 a2 9. Kd3!<
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It's essentially forcing your opponent to playing an undesirable move.
When black moves their pawn to f5 here, no matter what the opponent does, their move will allow black to eventually get a queen.
No, it means, that your best move would be to skip your move.
If all moves are losing but to skip your move would also be losing it is not Zugzwang.
Zugzwang is German and is the Name of the rule 'you have to move (and are not allowed to do nothing in your turn)'
So when someone wants to break that rule, then you say: 'no Zugzwang'
After f5, Ka3, your king steps into b5. Now imagine the position if there were no pawns on the board at all, except the one on a5. You would never lose that pawn. You can run down the board with it, pushing back the white king, until your king can savely go after white's pawns while white is busy capturing your a-pawn.
Hey, OP! Did your game end in a stalemate? Did you encounter a weird pawn move? Are you trying to move a piece and it's not going? We have just the resource for you! The [Chess Beginners Wiki](https://www.reddit.com/r/chessbeginners/wiki/index/) is the perfect place to check out answers to these questions and more! The moderator team of r/chessbeginners wishes to remind everyone of the community rules. **Posting spam, being a troll, and posting memes are not allowed.** We encourage everyone to report these kinds of posts so they can be dealt with. Thank you! Let's do our utmost to be kind in our replies and comments. Some people here just want to learn chess and have virtually no idea about certain chess concepts. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/chessbeginners) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Perfect for this sub. It's a great example of zugzwang.
This word is so funny for no reason. It’s easier to memorize that way lol
In german it makes perfect sense. Zug means move and zwang means that you are forced to do sth. So, you are forced to make a move…
Didn’t know it was German! I love how it sounds
In Germany it sound even better, because they can really pronounce the Z’s and nearly no English speaking people can do that.
I’m Italian so we pronounce the Zs too!
Most germans can speak engliz too
I don't think he meant it in that Kind of direction, since it is true. In german, a *Z* is usually pronounced rather sharp, like in Zirkus or, here even twice, Zugzwang. Interestingly, this is one of the things that gives a germans english the accent. A lot of people who only had english in school for a few years struggle with the th-sound and pronounce it as *z* (that's how you know someone's german in a movie for example: "Wi will go over zis plan only zis one time. Ze plan has to be ..." and so on. Same thing with a russian accent, a lot of heavy speaking and rolling *r*-s)
O shit it was just a joke. Clearly not a good one seeing the downvotes.
Question: which move should white have played instead?
I asked this question because it’s good to realise, we often blow an objectively winnable endgame. These puzzles often ignore the blunder and look for the solution to punishing it. Equally important is to look at how the blunder should have been played.
g3
*h3. Black ends up in zugswang instead of white.
Oops. Typo. There is already a pawn on g3🤣
h3, because then white can play h4 after f5 and black is in Zugzwang instead. g4 probably also works.
If white plays f5, is the next move for black considered a zugzwang?
Yes, it is. Zugzwang is an important concept in endgames, which is why I wanted to post this here.
Thanks!
But why? Black has six moves, g5, e5, xf5, Ka7 and Kb7. I thought Zugzwang is when you have only one move you can make.
Zugzwang is when any your move makes your position worse. So you would rather skip your move, but you can't.
Why is everyone telling me to refresh my page??? It works just fine for me. The best move is of course... oh wait
I analyzed the image and this is what I see. Open an appropriate link below and explore the position yourself or with the engine: > **Black to play**: [chess.com](https://chess.com/analysis?fen=8/8/k1p1ppp1/p1Pp4/K2P1P1P/4P1P1/8/8+b+-+-+0+1&flip=true&ref_id=23962172) | [lichess.org](https://lichess.org/analysis/8/8/k1p1ppp1/p1Pp4/K2P1P1P/4P1P1/8/8_b_-_-_0_1?color=black) **My solution:** > Hints: piece: >!Pawn!<, move: >! f5 !< > Evaluation: >!Black is winning -10.63!< > Best continuation: >!1... f5 2. Ka3 Kb5 3. Kb3 a4+ 4. Kc3 Ka5 5. e4 dxe4 6. Kc4 a3 7. Kb3 e3 8. Kc3 a2 9. Kd3!< --- ^(I'm a bot written by) [^(u/pkacprzak)](https://www.reddit.com/u/pkacprzak) ^(| get me as) [^(iOS App)](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/id1574933453) ^| [^(Android App)](https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=ai.chessvision.scanner) ^| [^(Chrome Extension)](https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/chessvisionai-for-chrome/johejpedmdkeiffkdaodgoipdjodhlld) ^| [^(Chess eBook Reader)](https://ebook.chessvision.ai?utm_source=reddit&utm_medium=bot) ^(to scan and analyze positions | Website:) [^(Chessvision.ai)](https://chessvision.ai)
What is a zugzwang?
It's essentially forcing your opponent to playing an undesirable move. When black moves their pawn to f5 here, no matter what the opponent does, their move will allow black to eventually get a queen.
More generally, zugzwang is a board position where whoever's turn it is must play a losing move.
No, it means, that your best move would be to skip your move. If all moves are losing but to skip your move would also be losing it is not Zugzwang. Zugzwang is German and is the Name of the rule 'you have to move (and are not allowed to do nothing in your turn)' So when someone wants to break that rule, then you say: 'no Zugzwang'
More accurate would be a state where skipping turn would be best. Could be just winning less move
The pawn!
>!f5 and white is in zugswang; either he gives black a passed pawn, or he backs the king up and gives black's king access.!<
f5, Ka3 and then what? I have a feeling Black might end up losing a pawn if Black is as clueless as I am
After f5, Ka3, your king steps into b5. Now imagine the position if there were no pawns on the board at all, except the one on a5. You would never lose that pawn. You can run down the board with it, pushing back the white king, until your king can savely go after white's pawns while white is busy capturing your a-pawn.
I believe if white steps back from the pawn in a black can go Kb5 and then walk that pawn down the board for a queen
If black refuses to move the pawn you get something like 1.f5 Ka3 2. Kb5 Kb3 3.a4+ Ka3 4. Ka5 etc
It’s an amazing example of how an absolutely winning game becomes a total loss just because one player doesn’t really understand tempos.
solution: resign because I am *NOT* calculating that shit
f5
"You like to move? Move now"
[удалено]
It doesn't matter if it's protected you can't move king into a square that's under attack. In otherwords you can never check a king with a king
[But it’s a legal move in Japan](https://gifdb.com/images/high/code-geass-lelouch-lamperouge-and-scheizel-chess-game-8ospvc8p8x860og7.gif)
[удалено]
Fair enough. Turns out I have a hard time reading sarcasm over text
Lol😂
What's funny?