Zugzwang

See also zugzwang

German

Etymology

• Compound of Zug and Zwang, meaning "compulsion to move".

Noun

Wikipedia

Zugzwang m. (no plural)

1. A situation where somebody is forced to act, but would prefer to remain passive. This is most common when a politician does not want to touch some controversial issue, but his/her political opponents work to create a situation where he/she must act.
2. (chess) zugzwang occurs when one player is put at a disadvantage because he/she has to make a move.