A zwischenzug, also called an in-between move or intermezzo, is a forcing move played before the move everyone expects. Your opponent captures, you are "supposed" to recapture, and instead you play a check or a bigger threat first, then deal with the capture a move later on better terms. The puzzles on this page come from real games and are close to your puzzle rating, and in each one the in-between move is part of the solution.
The word is German for "intermediate move". It needs two things. There must be an expected move, usually a recapture or a reply to a threat. And there must be a move you can insert before it that the opponent has to answer, so the expected move is still there for you afterwards, or something better has taken its place.
That is why most in-between moves are checks, captures, or threats against the queen or king. A quiet move rarely works, because it gives the opponent time to save the piece you were meant to take, or to take a second one.
A well-known opening line shows the idea. After 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.c3 Nf6 5.d4 exd4 6.cxd4 Bb4+ 7.Nc3 Nxe4 8.O-O Bxc3, the natural move is 9.bxc3, taking the bishop back. Instead White can play 9.d5, the Møller Attack. The pawn attacks the knight on c6, while the bishop on c3 is still attacked by the b-pawn, so Black has two pieces to look after at once.
Black has to spend moves saving them, and White uses that time. The main line runs 9...Bf6 10.Re1 Ne7 11.Rxe4, and White has the piece back with a rook on the open e-file instead of a quiet recapture on c3. The same pattern appears in puzzles all the time: a piece is captured, the recapture looks forced, and the stronger move is a check or threat that comes first.
Whenever a capture has just happened and a recapture seems automatic, stop and ask one question: do I have a check, a capture or a bigger threat first? Then check two things. Will the recapture, or something as good, still be available after the opponent answers? And does the in-between move make the opponent's answer worse for them, by putting their king or queen on a bad square or by winning a second piece?
Do the same when defending. Before you capture, expecting a recapture, look at every check and threat your opponent could play instead. The move you did not consider is very often an in-between move.
The most common is recapturing on autopilot: the reply is played in a second because it looks forced, and the stronger move is never considered. The second is an in-between move that is not forcing enough, which lets the opponent save the piece or answer with a zwischenzug of their own. The third is miscounting, so that after the extra moves the recapture is no longer possible or no longer safe.
Many of these puzzles start with the opponent's capture, played for you, and the obvious recapture is wrong or weaker. Before you move, list the checks and captures available, and only then decide whether to take back. If you are stuck, the hint shows the piece first, then the move. After you solve, the full line appears beside the board, so read how each forcing move leaves the opponent fewer choices.
For mixed tactics at your level, use Puzzle Training. Puzzle Storm trains speed, the Woodpecker Method repeats a fixed set until it is automatic, and Elo Maxing serves the motif you are weakest at. Pattern Drill works from positions in your own games. An in-between check is often a discovered check, and a fork is a common follow-up. For a general method that catches these moves, read how to find the best move in chess.
An in-between move: a forcing move, such as a check or a strong threat, played before the move your opponent expects, usually a recapture.
Yes. Zwischenzug, intermezzo and in-between move are three names for the same idea.
Because the opponent must be busy answering it. If they have a free move, they can save the piece you were going to recapture.
Whenever a recapture looks automatic, pause and list your checks, captures and threats first. Do the same for your opponent before you capture.