How do I use a check to gain a tempo?
These answers restate the rules implemented by our open-source engine, which follows the WXF laws and is regression-tested against the official 110-diagram repetition casebook. Where an answer refers to a specific position, that position lives on the linked reference page, where the build verifies it against the engine before publishing.
Direct answer
A check forces the opponent to respond to you rather than pursue their own plan, so if the checking move also improves your position, you have effectively won a free move. The best tempo-gaining checks do two things at once: threaten the general and develop, attack, or defend something else in the same motion.
What makes a check tempo-positive
Not every check gains a tempo; a check that achieves nothing except being answered has simply moved a piece for no benefit. Look for checks that also attack a second piece, open a line you need, or improve a badly placed piece, so the forced reply is pure profit on top.
The danger of checking for its own sake
A string of checks that do not build toward anything burns moves and can actually help the defender, by pushing the general to a safer point or by using up your own attacking pieces' best squares. Every check should answer the question: what does this gain beyond the reply itself?
Related questions
Should I check whenever I can?
No. Check only when the reply is forced to something worse for the opponent, not just when it is available.
Is this related to tempo in the opening?
The same idea, applied at any stage. See what a tempo actually is for the underlying concept.
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