High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles! The zwischenzug (German: pronounced "intermediate move") is a chess tactic in which a player, instead of playing the expected move (commonly a recapture of the capturer of a piece that the opponent has just captured) first interpolates another move, posing an immediate threat that the opponent must answer, then plays the expected move (Hooper Whyld 1992:460) (Golombek 1977:354). Ideally, the zwischenzug changes the situation to the player`s advantage, such as by gaining material or avoiding what would otherwise be a strong continuation for the opponent.