A Borderline Called Zwischenzug

A best way to improve our chess is usually not to strengthen our strength but to erase our weaknesses. That’s why it is important to look at our own games, to find out where we consistently make mistakes. The first time I analyzed my games with computer, I found out that I kept making the same mistake related to zwischenzug, which means "intermediate move" and is a common tactic that occurs when your opponent making a threat against one of your pieces and, instead of countering the direct threat, which he expected you to do, you will make a move that poses an even more devastating threat, often the move that attack pieces with higher value such as queen or king.

There are at least three ways to react against a threat or attack. When your opponent threaten your bishop with a knight, you can (1) Move the bishop to a safer place (2) Support the bishop so you can have equal capture in the exchange (3) Attack opponent’s other pieces, which is related to the zwischenzug.

When we were beginners, we all only know that we have to move our pieces to a safer place when they are attacked. And this formed some kind of bad habit or reflex. I believe every chess players have ever had this weakness. Unfortunately, not many are aware of the existence of this kind of weakness within one self (I wouldn’t know that I have this weakness had I not analyzed my games with computer).

I have seen this kind of weakness within beginners. Surprisingly, a fellow suffering with this weakness has recently won a junior tournament (sometimes he can chart high in senior tournaments also). My point is, quite an experienced player can suffer from this weakness also!

When he had a passed pawn and his opponent also had a passed pawn, he tried to prevent his opponent’s effort to promote the pawn when it was clear that he could promote his own pawn faster. Of course he then lost the winning endgame.

There were many occasions where he should have ignored his opponent’s threat/attack/advancement on one wing and created his own on the other wing (because it was the only chance he had) but he didn’t.

I believe that the above phenomenon is not about player’s character, but a habit/reflex that you can fix with a little practice (by practicing the zwischenzug).

I write this because I’m sure some of you already passed this borderline, some of you have not, but more importantly some of you don’t even realize that this borderline exists.