Answers.Body: <blockquote>
    <p>I occasionally see annotations/commentary where a move / line is said
    to make (for example) white win "by force". I am unsure if it has the
    general sense of <strong>"this move initiates a forcing sequence where white
    will come out on top"</strong> or something more specific, say, <em>"with this
    move, white exerts indefensible pressure ('force') on a particular
    square / sector (say more attackers than defenders on f7 with further
    defense impossible) that will give them victory."</em></p>
    
    <p>What exactly does it mean?</p>
  </blockquote>
  
  <p>The bold part is correct answer. </p>
  
  <p>Forced move is exactly that: A move you are forced to play. A <strong>forcing</strong> move is exactly that: a move that forces the opponent to respond in a specific way, <strong>limiting his freedom of choice.</strong></p>
  
  <p>Take <em>Alekhine's defense</em> as example. White is <strong>forcing</strong> the exchange of knights, while Black is <strong>forced</strong> to exchange the knight:</p>
  
  <pre><code>[Title "Demonstrating difference between forced and forcing move"]
  [fen ""]
  
  1.e4 Nf6 2.e5 Nd5 3.c4 Nb6 4.c5 Nd5 5.Nc3 Nxc3 6.dxc3
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>The italic part in my quote of your question is never called "force". The term <em>pressure</em> is commonly used to describe it, like in this example:</p>
  
  <pre><code>[Title "White to move"]
  [fen "r4r1k/pp2qppp/6b1/8/2B5/1QP5/PP3RPP/5R1K w - - 0 1"]
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>So in this example we can say something like this:</p>
  
  <p><em>White exerts decisive <strong>pressure</strong> on the <code>f7</code> square which would lead to a <strong>forced</strong> win for him if he plays <code>1.Bxf7</code>.</em></p>
  
  <p>After <code>1.Bxf7</code> Black is <strong>forced</strong> to exchange off all his pieces (not exchanging proves even worse for Black) after which the endgame is won for White. That is why we say White has a forced win: he can <em>force</em> Black to enter into a lost endgame.</p>
  
  <p>Hopefully this clarifies things.</p>
  
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Answers.UserDisplayName: AlwaysLearningNewStuff
Answers.Body: <p>It's a bit of hyperbole to be sure.  I can't think of many cases where such a phrase would be used.  Normally, "...and wins" is good enough.</p>
  
  <p>But it means there's no conceivable way that White will lose the game and it takes no special skill to finish the game. The opposite phrase is Black's position is "dead lost."</p>
  
  <p>I have also seen in print "black should resign" when the position was embarrassingly untenable but Black played on.</p>
  
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Answers.UserDisplayName: Tony Ennis
Body: <p>I occasionally see annotations/commentary where a move / line is said to make (for example) white win "by force". I am unsure if it has the general sense of "this move initiates a forcing sequence where white will come out on top" or something more specific, say, "with this move, white exerts indefensible pressure ('force') on a particular square / sector (say more attackers than defenders on f7 with further defense impossible) that will give them victory."</p>
  
  <p>What exactly does it mean?</p>
  
Tags: <terminology><annotation><winning>
Title: What does it mean to win "by force"?
ThreadText: # What does it mean to win "by force"?
  
  (Asked by: username_0 on 2014-04-12)
  
  I occasionally see annotations/commentary where a move / line is said to make (for example) white win "by force". I am unsure if it has the general sense of "this move initiates a forcing sequence where white will come out on top" or something more specific, say, "with this move, white exerts indefensible pressure ('force') on a particular square / sector (say more attackers than defenders on f7 with further defense impossible) that will give them victory."
  
  What exactly does it mean?
  
  **Tags:** terminology, annotation, winning
  
  
  ---
  
  ## 2 answers
  
  ### Answer by username_1 on 2014-04-12. Score: 5
  
  > I occasionally see annotations/commentary where a move / line is said
  > to make (for example) white win "by force". I am unsure if it has the
  > general sense of **"this move initiates a forcing sequence where white
  > will come out on top"** or something more specific, say, *"with this
  > move, white exerts indefensible pressure ('force') on a particular
  > square / sector (say more attackers than defenders on f7 with further
  > defense impossible) that will give them victory."*
  >
  > What exactly does it mean?
  
  The bold part is correct answer.
  
  Forced move is exactly that: A move you are forced to play. A **forcing** move is exactly that: a move that forces the opponent to respond in a specific way, **limiting his freedom of choice.**
  
  Take *Alekhine's defense* as example. White is **forcing** the exchange of knights, while Black is **forced** to exchange the knight:
  
  ```
  [Title "Demonstrating difference between forced and forcing move"]
  [fen ""]
  
  1.e4 Nf6 2.e5 Nd5 3.c4 Nb6 4.c5 Nd5 5.Nc3 Nxc3 6.dxc3
  
  ```
  
  The italic part in my quote of your question is never called "force". The term *pressure* is commonly used to describe it, like in this example:
  
  ```
  [Title "White to move"]
  [fen "r4r1k/pp2qppp/6b1/8/2B5/1QP5/PP3RPP/5R1K w - - 0 1"]
  
  ```
  
  So in this example we can say something like this:
  
  *White exerts decisive **pressure** on the `f7` square which would lead to a **forced** win for him if he plays `1.Bxf7`.*
  
  After `1.Bxf7` Black is **forced** to exchange off all his pieces (not exchanging proves even worse for Black) after which the endgame is won for White. That is why we say White has a forced win: he can *force* Black to enter into a lost endgame.
  
  Hopefully this clarifies things.
  
  
  ---
  
  ### Answer by username_2 on 2014-04-12. Score: 1
  
  It's a bit of hyperbole to be sure. I can't think of many cases where such a phrase would be used. Normally, "...and wins" is good enough.
  
  But it means there's no conceivable way that White will lose the game and it takes no special skill to finish the game. The opposite phrase is Black's position is "dead lost."
  
  I have also seen in print "black should resign" when the position was embarrassingly untenable but Black played on.
  
  
  ---
  
  