This article uses algebraic notation to describe chess moves. Algebraic chess notation is used to record and describe the moves in a game of Chess.

In chess, tempo refers to a "turn" or single move. Chess is a recreational and competitive Game played between two players. When a player achieves a desired result in one fewer moves, he "gains a tempo" and conversely when he takes one more move than necessary he "loses a tempo. " Similarly, when one forces his opponent to expend moves (often in defense) that he would not otherwise have expended, one "gains tempo" because the opponent wastes moves.

A simple example of losing a tempo may be moving a rook from the a1 square to a5 and from there to a8; simply moving from a1 to a8 would have achieved the same result with a tempo to spare. A rook, (♖ ♜ borrowed from Persian رخ rokh, Sanskrit rath, "chariot" also known as a castle is a piece in the Such maneuvers do not always lose a tempo however – the rook on a5 may make some threat which needs to be responded to. In this case, since both players have "lost" a tempo, the net result in terms of time is nil, but the change brought about in the position may favor one player more than the other.

Gaining a tempo

Scandinavian Defense, after 1. e4 d5 2. exd5 Qxd5.

Gaining tempo may be achieved, for example, by developing a piece while delivering check, though here too, if the check can be countered by the development of a piece, the net result may be nil. In games such as Chess, Shogi, and Xiangqi, a check is an immediate threat to capture the king (or general in xiangqi If the check can be blocked by a useful pawn move which also drives the checking piece away, the check may even lose a tempo. The pawn (♙♟ is the weakest and most numerous piece in the Game of Chess, representing Infantry

In general, making moves with gain of tempo is desirable. A player is said to have the initiative if they are able to keep making moves which force their opponent to respond in a particular way or limit their responses. This page explains commonly used terms in Chess in alphabetical order The player with the initiative has greater choice of moves and can to some extent control the direction the game takes, though this advantage is only relative, and may not be worth very much (having a slight initiative when a rook down, for example, may be worthless).

In the Scandinavian Defense, after 1. The Scandinavian Defense or Center Counter Defense, is a Chess opening characterized by the moves 1 e4 d5 2. exd5 Qxd5, if White plays 3. Nc3 it attacks Black's queen, forcing it to move again, and White gains a tempo. The queen (♕♛ is the most powerful piece in the game of Chess. A similar move gains a tempo in the Center Game opening. The Center Game is a Chess opening that begins with the moves 1 In Chess the word " opening " has two common meanings both of which are discussed in this article

Losing a tempo

In some endgame situations, a player must actually lose a tempo to make progress. In Chess, the endgame (or end game or ending) refers to the stage of the game when there are few pieces left on the board When the two kings stand in opposition, for example, the player to move is often at a disadvantage because they must move. In Chess, the King (♔ ♚ is the most important piece. The object of the game is to trap the opponent's king so that it would not be able to avoid capture Direct opposition Direct opposition is when the two kings face each other along a rank or file with only one square in between The player to move may be able to triangulate in order to lose a tempo and return to the same position but with the opponent to move (and put him in zugzwang). Triangulation is a tactic used in Chess to put one's opponent in Zugzwang. Zugzwang ' is also a musical work by Juan Maria Solare. Zugzwang' ( German for "compulsion to move" ˈtsuːktsvaŋ Kings, queens, bishops, and rooks can lose a tempo; a knight can not (Müller & Pajeken 2008:40, 175, 189). A bishop (♗♝ is a piece in the Board game of Chess. Each player begins the game with two bishops The knight (♘ ♞ sometimes referred to by players as a 'horse' is a piece in the Game of Chess, representing a Knight (armoured cavalry In Chess, tempo refers to a "turn" or single move When a player achieves a desired result in one fewer moves he "gains a tempo" and conversely when

Timofeev-Inarkiev, Moscow, 2008

Position after 117. Rd4d8, threatening 118. Rh8. Black resigned.

Timofeev-Inarkiev, analysis

Analysis position after 118. . . Bh5. Now 119. Rh7 is a tempo move.

In the position from the game between Artyom Timofeev and Ernesto Inarkiev, Black resigned because White will win with a tempo move. Artyom Timofeev (born January 6 1985) is a Russian Chess Grandmaster. Ernesto Inarkiev (born December 9, 1985 in Osh, Kyrgyzstan) is a Russian Chess Grandmaster. (Timofeev won the 2008 Moscow Open with this game. ) White is threatening 118. Rh8+. If Black moves his king on move 117, White wins the bishop with 118. Rh8+, which results in a position which has an elementary checkmate. Checkmate (frequently shortened to mate) is a situation in Chess (and in other Boardgames of the Chaturanga family in which one player's If Black moves 117. . . Bh5 then 118. Rh8 and Black is in zugzwang, and loses. So Black must move 117. . . Be2 to avoid immediately geting into a lost position. But then will come 118. Rh8+ Bh5 and now white makes a tempo move with 119. Rh7 (or 119. Rh6), maintaining the pin on the bishop, making it Black's turn to move, and Black must lose the bishop. In Chess, a pin is a situation brought on by an attacking piece in which a defending piece cannot move without exposing a more valuable defending piece on its other side to capture

See also

• Sente
• Triangulation (chess)
• Zugzwang

References

• Hooper, David & Whyld, Kenneth (1992), The Oxford Companion to Chess (second ed. Players of the game of '''Go''' often use Jargon terms to describe situations on the board and surrounding the game Triangulation is a tactic used in Chess to put one's opponent in Zugzwang. Zugzwang ' is also a musical work by Juan Maria Solare. Zugzwang' ( German for "compulsion to move" ˈtsuːktsvaŋ David Vincent Hooper ( 31 August 1915 - May 1998 born in Reigate, was a British Chess player and writer Kenneth Whyld ( March 6, 1926 - July 11, 2003) was a British Chess author and researcher best known as the co-author (with The Oxford Companion to Chess is a reference Book on Chess written by David Hooper and Kenneth Whyld. ), Oxford University Press, ISBN 0-19-866164-9 

• Müller, Karsten & Pajeken, Wolfgang (2008), How to Play Chess Endings, Gambit Publications, ISBN 978-1-904600-86-2