Tempo move

A move that, without adding or subtracting any possibilities, allows the opposite side to play as if the side making the tempo had not moved.

Two types of tempo moves can be distinguished:

Special cases of tempo moves are:

See also: Mutually exclusive tempo; Tempo maneuver; Allowing tempo; Lindner 1 theme.

Páros, György

Magyar Sakkelet, BTSB, 1956

1st Prize

Example: Tempo move
h#3  (3+4)

1.e4 Qa7 2.Ke5 d4+ 3.Kd5 Qd7#

Tempo move (wQ, waiting).

View in Helpmate Analyzer

FEN: 7K/7Q/8/4p3/2b2kn1/3P4/8/8

External links:

Kricheli, Josif

Ideal-Mate Review, 1983

1st Prize

Example: Tempo move
h#4 b) rotate 180  (2+4)

a) 1.Rd6 Kf4 2.Ra6 Kf5 3.Kc6 Ke6 4.Rb6 Rc8#
b) 1.Rf2 Rh1 2.Bd1 Ke6 3.Kf3 Kf5 4.Be2 Rh3#

Tempo move (zugzwang avoidance).

View in Helpmate Analyzer

FEN: 4R3/1p1r4/8/1b1k4/8/4K3/8/8

External links:

Páros, György

Magyar Sakkelet, 1955

1st Prize

Example: Tempo move
h#3  (5+12)

1.g6 Qa1 2.Kb6 a5+ 3.Kc7 Qe5#

Tempo move (wQ, waiting).

View in Helpmate Analyzer

FEN: n1b1K2Q/1p4pP/p6r/k2P1p2/P6q/8/n1r2b2/8

External links:

Kricheli, Josif

Problem (corr.), 1968

2nd Prize

Example: Tempo move
h#3 b) bBe7→c3  (5+15)

a) 1.Sc2 Rf4 2.Kd6 Kc1 3.Qc5 Rd4#
b) 1.Sb5 Rg4 2.f2 Bf4 3.Kb4 Bd6#

View in Helpmate Analyzer

FEN: 8/4b3/2p1p1p1/q1k3Pb/1R1n4/pp3pBp/p6P/rn1K4

External links:

Wong, Peter

feenschach, 1995

1st HM

Example: Tempo move
h#2  (4+12)
b) bPd3→d7 c) bPd3→a7 d) bPd3→b3

a) 1.Qe3 Kh2 2.Kd4 Sxe6#
b) 1.Se7 Kg3 2.Kd6 Se8#
c) 1.Rb7 Kg1 2.Kb6 Sa8#
d) 1.Ra3 Kxf2 2.Kb4 Sxa6#

wK tempo, wK cross, bK star.

View in Helpmate Analyzer

FEN: 2R5/2N5/b3p2q/p1k1pn2/6p1/2Np4/r4nK1/1r6

External links:

Ott, Markus Johannes

Schach-Aktiv, 1993

1st Prize

Example: Tempo move
h#3 2.1... (4+7)

1.Ra4 Sf5 2.Ke2 b4 3.Rf1 Sd4#
1.Ba4 Sf2 2.Ke3 b3 3.Sf3 Sd1#

Tempo + Critical + AntiZielElement.

View in Helpmate Analyzer

FEN: 7K/8/8/8/3r1rN1/3p1kN1/1P1p4/3bn3

External links:

Medintsev, Vitaly

KoBulChess, 2013 (v)

3rd Prize

Example: Tempo move
h#2 2.1... (6+4)

1.Scb6 Rg4 2.Sb4 Ra1#
1.Sdb6 Rg5 2.Sa5 Rb1#

1.Scb6! (Sc~?) Rg4 2.Sb4! (tempo) Ra1#
1.Sdb6 (Sd~?) Rg5 2.Sa5! (tempo) Rb1#

View in Helpmate Analyzer

FEN: 1B4K1/b7/8/R2n4/1Rn5/7P/4P3/7k

External links:

Maslar, Zdravko

Maslar, Slavko

Problem, 2nd Yugoslav Championship, 1960

1st HM

Example: Tempo move
h#2  (9+4)

1.Qh3 0-0-0 2.Qa3 Rg7#

Tempo move (bQ, waiting) × 2
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View in Helpmate Analyzer

FEN: 8/3k4/1P1N4/N7/7B/q7/BP5p/R3K1Rr

External links: