"Zugzwang" in Checkers

by Aron Zlobinskiy
January 26, 2004

Zugzwang is a situation in a checkers game when the need to move leads to a bad position, even to a loss.
Let us demonstrate a game with such a situation.

L. Margolin - A. Zlobinskiy
Moscow, 1972
The "Old Game"

1.11-15 23-19
2.08-11 26-23
3.11-16 24-20
4.15:24 20:11
5.07:16 28:18
6.04-08 22-18
7.08-11 25-22
8.16-20! 29-25 A (position)
9.11-16 B 18-15

A. If 8...30-25 then 9.02-07 32-28 10.10-15 19:10
11.07:14 with an initiative for black

B. The theoretical recommendation is based on:
9.02-07! 31-26 C 10.10-15 19:10 11.06:15 18-14 12.09:18 23:14 13.15-19 and white must play very precise as their right flank is under attack.

C. 9...21-17? 10.09-14 18:02 11.10-15 19:10 12.07:21 02:16 13.12:17+

10.09-13 22-18
11.10-14 18:09
12.05:14 25-22
13.03-07 15-11! (position)
14.06-10 AB 22-18
15.01-05 18:09
16.05:14 C

A. 14.07-10? 30-26 15.16:07 19-15 16.10:19 23:16 17.20:11 22-17 18.13:22 26:03+

B. 14.01-05 11-08! was an interesting line

C. 16.13:06 would be a mistake because of: 21-17! 17.05-10 D 30-25! 18.09-13 25-22 19.06-09 32-28 20.09-14 19-15!+

D. 17.06-09 17-13 18.09-14 30-25 19.14-18 23:14 20.10:17 13:22 21.16:23 27:18 22.07:16 18-14 and white should win.

16....31-26 (position)
17.13-17? AB 19-15!
18.10:19 23-18
19.14:23 21:14

A. Black counted 17... 11-08 (on 32-28 or 30-25 strike 14-18) 18.12:03 19:12 19.10-15+

B. The draw was after 17.14-17! 21:14 18.10:17 19-15 19.07-10! C 15:06 20.02:09 11-08 21.12:03 27-24 22.20:18 26-22 23.18:25 30:05=

C. 19.17-21? 23-18! 20.13-17 32-28 21.16-19 15:24 22.07:16 27-23 23.20:27 23:32 and white should win

A rare position - having an extra checker and their move black must resign - ZUGZWANG!