16 June 2013

zugzwang

[tsook-tsvahng]
noun Chess.

– a situation in which a player is limited to moves that cost pieces or have a damaging positional effect.

-a situation in which any move or option chosen, will be bad.

Origin:
1900–05; < German, equivalent to Zug move + Zwang constraint, obligation

Example sentence:

The company restructure presented staff with a zugzwang in which they would either keep their jobs and accept lower pay, or leave their jobs and be made redundant.

Today’s aphorism

What is done is love, is well done.

– Vincent van Gogh

On this day

16 June 1961 – Soviet ballet dancer, Rudolf Nureyev defects to the West. Soviet Leader Nikita Khrushchev allegedly issued an order for Nureyev to be killed, which did not eventuate.

16 June 1967 – The Monterey Pop Festival is held over three days at Monterey, California. Over 200,000 people attended to experience performers such as Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Jefferson Airplane, The Who, The Byrds, The Animals and The Grateful Dead.