Postmove

Postmove is a term used in game design and computing to describe processing that occurs after a move or action has been made. It encompasses updates to the system state, triggering of events, and preparation for the next turn or step. In many turn-based games and simulations, postmove processing ensures consistency of the game state, enforces rules, and initiates the opponent’s turn or the next phase of play.

In board games such as chess, postmove processing updates the internal representation of the board, validates the legality of the move, applies rule effects such as promotion or castling, and handles ancillary state changes like clock updates and draw conditions. It also prepares the system for the next player’s move and, in AI-enabled environments, may trigger evaluation routines to determine subsequent best moves.

In software development and game engines, postmove refers to routines, callbacks, or event hooks that run after a move is executed. These can update the user interface, log actions for audit or replay, synchronize state in multiplayer modes, and start animations or sound effects. Postmove processing helps separate the core move generation from its side effects, aiding modularity and responsiveness.

In artificial intelligence and automated planning, postmove processing often includes updating the current state with the chosen move, performing any necessary state checks, and feeding the new state into evaluation or search algorithms for the next decision point. The concept, variably named, centers on actions that occur after an initial move has been applied.