Chess situation in which any move is a bad move

• Unpleasant obligation to move, in chess
• Dangerous chess situation

Douglas Harper's Etymology Dictionary Word definitions in Douglas Harper's Etymology Dictionary
1904, in chess, from German Zugzwang , literally "move-compulsion," from Zug "move (in chess), a drawing, pulling, a stretch," from Old High German ziohan "to pull," from Proto-Germanic *teuhan , from PIE root *deuk- "to lead" (see duke (n.)).

Wikipedia Word definitions in Wikipedia
Zugzwang (German for "compulsion to move", ) is a situation found in chess and other games wherein one player is put at a disadvantage because they must make a move when they would prefer to pass and not move. The fact that the player is compelled to move ...

Wiktionary Word definitions in Wiktionary
n. 1 (context chess English) A situation in which a player is forced to make a disadvantageous move. 2 (non-gloss definition: ''in figurative uses'')