Vorwärtszug

Vorwärtszug, literally forward move in German, is a term used in chess literature to describe a move that advances a piece toward the opponent's side of the board. It is a descriptive label rather than a formal rule and is typically used to contrast with Rückwärtszug, a retreating move, and with more specific terms for individual piece moves.

In practice, pawns are the primary examples of Vorwärtszüge: a pawn advancing from e2 to e4 is a Vorwärtszug for White, as it pushes toward the eighth rank; for Black, a move from e7 to e5 counts as a Vorwärtszug toward the opponent's side. For other pieces, a move that increases the distance toward the opponent can be described as a Vorwärtszug, though this usage is less standardized because all pieces have multiple directions of movement.

The concept is helpful in instruction and analysis to discuss space gain, tempo, and pawn structure. It is often used when describing planned advances, such as pawn storms or kingside pawn pushes, or in evaluating the consequences of pushing a pawn or piece forward.

The term is most common in German-language chess writing and problem composition. While not a formal game rule, Vorwärtszug serves as a practical linguistic tool to discuss forward-oriented moves within a position.