Zugzwang

Ed Oscuro · Post by **Ed Oscuro** » Wed Feb 21, 2007 1:58 am

Zugzwang is the best term ever. In chess, it means being forced into a position you don't want to play. I think we should use it more.

Examples: "I was forced into a zugzwang position when that ship launched tons of shrapnel at me."

Erm, that's only one.

I will pay One Internet Dollah to anybody who uses this term in their reviews of games! Use it often and watch your stock of Internet Dollahs grow!

Who's with me? Midnight funk...Zugzwang Association unite!

Frederik · Post by **Frederik** » Wed Feb 21, 2007 2:08 am

I believe someone at the Ikaruga forums was named Zugzwang.

It´s funny to see german terms used in english, like Weltschmerz or Kindergarten.

Harrrr, Sauerkraut Lederhosen Endlösung!

shoe-sama · Post by **shoe-sama** » Wed Feb 21, 2007 2:15 am

I think the term panicbomb describes those situations quite nicely.

D · Post by D » Wed Feb 21, 2007 7:11 am

The level 5 boss gave me an unfortunate schmelting accident when he drowned me with that huge beam.

RotateMe · Post by **RotateMe** » Wed Feb 21, 2007 8:01 am

When I read the title I was sure that would be the name of a new japanese shmup. They have a strange love for german terms when it comes to cool titles (Ehrgeiz or Weiss Kreuz). Do these words just sound cool when your japanese or are there other reasons they use them so often?

Edge · Post by **Edge** » Wed Feb 21, 2007 11:43 am

I am surprised the German term "Zugzwang" is used by international chess players. Though maybe Zugzwang wouldn't really apply to shmups because it describes a strategical enforcement: It's leaving the opponent no other choice but to do a certain move which is not in his interest. But anyway, internet language don't make sense at all. So hail to the über Zugzwang.

RotateMe wrote:When I read the title I was sure that would be the name of a new japanese shmup.

I was expecting a new Japanese doujin shmup by the title...

JBC · Post by **JBC** » Wed Feb 21, 2007 1:39 pm

Edge wrote:It's leaving the opponent no other choice but to do a certain move which is not in his interest.

The other day i was forced into a zugzwang when i realized too late that my girlfriend had used to last of the toilet paper.

Frederik · Post by **Frederik** » Wed Feb 21, 2007 5:14 pm

RotateMe wrote: Do these words just sound cool when your japanese or are there other reasons they use them so often?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=upKdI5gjukM

"In der guten alten Zeit lebten die Menschen noch ruhig."

Daigoro · Post by **Daigoro** » Wed Feb 21, 2007 5:29 pm

great term. i agree it should be used more often. in every day life and here.

i leaned about it when i was into reading chess books several years back.

Edge wrote: Though maybe Zugzwang wouldn't really apply to shmups because it describes a strategical enforcement: It's leaving the opponent no other choice but to do a certain move which is not in his interest.

sure it does:

shoe-sama wrote:I think the term panicbomb describes those situations quite nicely.

Radiant · Post by **Radiant** » Wed Feb 21, 2007 5:36 pm

FrederikJurk wrote:
RotateMe wrote: Do these words just sound cool when your japanese or are there other reasons they use them so often?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=upKdI5gjukM

"In der guten alten Zeit lebten die Menschen noch ruhig."

I LOVE the intro of Dracula X

Edge · Post by **Edge** » Wed Feb 21, 2007 6:57 pm

FrederikJurk wrote: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=upKdI5gjukM

"In der guten alten Zeit lebten die Menschen noch ruhig."

LMAO!

I love that intro. There is a lot to quote from that narrator:
"Nach einhundert Jahren,.... der Böse wiederauferstanden."

Also I like his way of talking, he makes a couple of breaks in the middle of a sentence for appearantly no reason. Like this:

"Er kann sich in eine Fledermaus,... ... einen Wolf... ... und Nebel... .... verwandeln." ... Er liebt die Nacht. ... .... .... Er schlürft das Blut von jungen Frauen.... ... und lebt... ewig.
Der Burgherr des Teufelsschlosses, ... der Herr des Bösen,... Graf Dracula ist auferstanden."

@Daigoro:
Yeah, maybe it's a matter of interpretation. Because when I panic bomb, it's not like I really had no other option. I "could" have dodged it, I wasn't literally forced to bomb. But anyway not that it really matters that much.

Ed Oscuro · Post by **Ed Oscuro** » Wed Feb 21, 2007 7:18 pm

Good examples of the AI forcing the player into Zugzwang: the second "boss" of Ozma Wars will force you to the outside if you do not line up with it, and you cannot dodge back in to make your shot without being hit (and even then it might not land).

In Kyukyoku Tiger II, the first boss (pair of bosses actually, an old Toaplan concept) will force you to the side with the red/white sphere spam. If you have damaged both sections of the blimp to the point where they are both sending out the red/white spheres you can be forced far away.