Glossary of Chess Problems - R

R

Reflexmate

A selfmate in which both sides must deliver checkmate if they are able to do when it is their move. A problem where this stipulation applies only to black is a semi-reflexmate.

Retrograde analysis, retroanalysis

Deduction of the move or moves leading up to a given position. A problem may be completely made up of retrograde analysis (as in a proof game, or a problem in which the task is to determine black's last move, for example), or it may be a part of some larger problem (for example, it may be necessary to determine that black has moved his king leading up to a given position, meaning he is unable to castle, and thus rendering correct a solution which would be otherwise incorrect).

Round trip

A piece leaves a square, and then later in the solution returns to it by a circuitous route (for example, a rook moves e3-g3-g5-e5-e3). Compare with switchback, in which the route taken to the original square is direct.