small move
A relatively limited move whose immediate value or scope is modest.
A small move is a move whose immediate territorial, tactical, or strategic value is comparatively limited, usually affecting a small local area. Its importance is judged against the alternatives available in the position: it may handle a minor local matter while a larger or more urgent play remains possible elsewhere on the board.
A small move can secure a minor gain, improve shape, prepare a later sequence, or be appropriate when no larger urgent move is available. “Small” refers to the move’s relative scale or value, not to whether it is sente or gote; a small move can still be strategically correct. The classification is context-dependent: a move that looks small locally may have significant consequences for the whole-board position.
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