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This article uses algebraic notation to describe chess moves.

In chess, tempo refers to a "turn" or single movement in chess. When a player could have achieved the same result in one fewer movements, they effectively "gain a tempo" and conversely when taking one more move than necessary they "lose a tempo". Forcing an opponent to expend moves (often in defense) they would not have done is also considered a "gain in tempo" for the player, because his opponent effectively wasted a move.

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. 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 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. 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.

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. 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 some endgame situations, a player must actually lose a tempo to make progress. When the two kings stand in opposition, for example, the player to move is often at a disadvantage because they must move. The player to move may be able to triangulate in order to return to the same position but with the opponent to move (and put him in zugzwang).

• Sente
• triangulate
• zugzwang

• Hooper, David & Whyld, Kenneth (1992), The Oxford Companion to Chess (second ed.), Oxford University Press, ISBN 0-19-866164-9