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Word of the Day – Zugzwang

By June 22, 2025Word of the Day

Zugzwang (noun)

zug-zwang

A situation in which a player is limited to moves that cost pieces or have a damaging positional effect.

First recorded in 1900–05; from German, equivalent to Zug “move, pull” + Zwang “constraint, obligation”

Example sentences

“Her situation was bleak and approaching zugzwang as none of her pieces can move without material loss.”

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