Definition: A single move in chess by one player, also known as a 'half-move'. Since the players move in turn, the term is normally used to count how many moves one of the players takes to perform a specific maneuver.
The loss of a tempo early in the game, where a player takes two moves to accomplish what can be done in one move (or takes three moves where two moves are enough, etc.), can be sufficient to give the opponent a decisive advantage.
The word tempo has nothing to do with the chess clock.
Alternate Spellings: Plural: tempi
