Tactics & checkmates
Zwischenzug
A zwischenzug, or intermediate move, inserts an urgent threat into an apparently forced sequence. Instead of recapturing immediately, you might give check first. This can change the position so that the later recapture is stronger or another piece is lost.
A practical example
Your bishop is captured. Before taking the capturing piece, you find a check that also attacks the queen. If answering the check cannot save the queen, the intermediate move improves on an automatic recapture.
A common mistake
Treating every attack as forcing. If the opponent can ignore your threat or give a countercheck, your proposed move order may fail.
Try this in your next review
Pause at every exchange. Before recapturing, look for checks, direct mating threats and queen attacks. Make the same check for your opponent’s intermediate moves.