Tempo as a unit of time
Each player gets one move per turn, so moves are the currency of time in chess. In the opening, every tempo spent on development, castling or the centre counts. Moving the same piece twice without reason, or making a pawn move that achieves nothing, loses a tempo.
White begins one tempo ahead simply by moving first. Many openings for Black are designed to neutralise that extra move, and gambits trade material for tempi in the hope of using the time to attack.
Gaining a tempo
The clearest way to gain a tempo is to develop a piece with a threat. After 1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Qxd5, White plays Nc3: the knight develops and attacks the queen, so Black must move the queen again instead of bringing out another piece.
Pawns can gain tempi too, by kicking pieces from good squares, as in ...h6 against a knight on g5. The cost is that pawn moves cannot be undone, so a pawn advance that wins time can leave weaknesses behind.
Tempo in the endgame
In endgames, especially king and pawn endings, a single tempo can decide the game. A spare pawn move, often called a reserve tempo, lets you hand the move to the opponent and put them in zugzwang. Triangulation is a king manoeuvre with the same aim: losing a tempo to reach a position with the opponent to move.
Common mistakes
- Moving the same piece several times in the opening while other pieces stay at home.
- Chasing enemy pieces with pawn moves that gain a tempo but leave lasting weaknesses.
- Using up spare pawn moves in a pawn ending before they are needed.
Questions about tempo
What does tempo mean in chess?
A tempo is a single move considered as a unit of time. To gain a tempo is to achieve something while making the opponent spend a move.
What is the plural of tempo?
Tempi, as in "White is two tempi ahead in development". Tempos is also seen.
What is a spare tempo?
A harmless move, usually a pawn move, that can be played at any moment to pass the turn to the opponent. In pawn endings it often decides zugzwang battles.