Zugzwang in Chess, Math and Pizzas
quantamagazine.org
quantamagazine.org
Imagine Chess would allow players to pass. Then black could pass to try and wait for the pawn to reach h7. But of course then white could simply also pass instead of moving the pawn. The "optimal" strategy for both players would be to endlessly pass back to the other player, as any actual move would put themselves at a disadvantage. So even with passing allowed, there is no way the black player could actually take the pawn. Instead, the game would simply lock-up.
I believe this is a general strategy: In any situation where passing would give an advantage, the other player could immediately undo the advantage by passing as well.
So in effect, Chess always has zugzwang, by the way the game works - codifying it as an explicit rule is just a convenience.
A common example would be you having to drink a schnaps because all other people at the table drink one too.
So it is not about the fact that you have to do a turn, but that you have to do a specific turn, which you may or may not have done if the Zugzwang had not existed.
I haven't actually encountered the term in a game context often, so maybe there are different interpretations - but there is also the figure of speech "Er steht unter Zugzwang" (he is in zugzwang). I'm pretty sure that saying means someone is under pressure to make some move or descision - not a specific one.
> having to drink a schnaps because all other people at the table drink one too
That sounds more like Gruppenzwang (peer pressure) to me.
Zugzwang must not signify a specific move that is correct. But it most often means the need to move arises because of outside circumstances. And these circumstances can very well limit the available options.
A politician that has to say something in reaction to a crisis might be under Zugzwang to show some reaction, but another hypothetical politician that is expected to say a specific thing (e.g. a public excuse) is under a much stronger Zugzwang.
While the game of Go has no zugzwang, as it allows players to pass their turn, it does have something resembling it on the tiny 2x1 board, where the first player must pass to avoid losing.
But zugzwang is exceedingly rare in go.
[1] https://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/jun/03/indfleischetik...
But at least in games like chess, everyone just says Zugzwang.
Have a google for "Uncleftish Beholding" for some entertainment.