Zugswang

[perseus]

Hello,

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zugswang

Has anybody got any real game examples on Stan's of zugswang?

I do not seem to have any memorable examples in my games.

In this game, my opponent resigned, because all his moves conferred no advantage because of counters, but that is not zugswang, although my tactical/strategic plan was aiming in this direction.

www.stansco.com/cgi-bin/nc_game.cgi?462040??black?

Clearer at:
www.stansco.com/cgi-bin/nc_game.cgi?468343??black?

[Comet]

Many endgames involve zugswang. I'd guess 10%.

This is because one cannot force a win without zugzwang in the following situations.

rook (and king) versus king checkmate
two bishops versus king checkmate
two knights versus pawn checkmate
Bishop and knight checkmate
queen versus rook
queen versus knight
queen versus two knights, and
queen versus two bishops

In addition, zugzwang is required in many king and pawn versus king endgames in order to force promotion of the pawn and in other king and pawn endgames with more pawns.

Of course, many times the opponent will resign when confronted with a lost endgame, but it is zugzwang that makes the position lost.

I mean, if you have a rook and a King, and I only have my King, well, you couldn't checkmate me if I could "pass" on my move.

[perseus]

www.stansco.com/cgi-bin/nc_game.cgi?468343??black?

I think this one is Zugzwang! It does not happen all that often?

[zingrillo]

Take a look at this incredible game...

www.stansco.com/cgi-bin/nc_game.cgi?471947?24w?black?large

After 15. Bh3 it seems that Black is lost... but after 24. c3??
White is caught in a terrible zugzwang and can only wait for checkmate...

My analysis post mortem (with Fritz8) shows that black is better (!) after 17. ... Rhe8 (fantastic)

[perseus]

Dec 23, 2009 6:54:32 GMT -5 zingrillo said:

Take a look at this incredible game...

www.stansco.com/cgi-bin/nc_game.cgi?471947?24w?black?large

After 15. Bh3 it seems that Black is lost... but after 24. c3??
White is caught in a terrible zugzwang and can only wait for checkmate...

My analysis post mortem (with Fritz8) shows that black is better (!) after 17. ... Rhe8 (fantastic)

I think I would have overlooked 18 ....... Bb4

but as White I might have used my Knight to eliminate Black's pawns and with Black having a Bishop and Rook against a Rook, this would have been a draw Fritz knows best. I have not got this program but I have seen it in action.