Pin puzzles
A pinned piece cannot move without exposing something more valuable behind it.
About pin puzzles
A pinned piece cannot move without exposing something more valuable behind it. Pins are used to win material by attacking the pinned piece again.
How to spot it
- Look for enemy pieces in line with a bishop, rook or queen of yours and a more valuable piece behind them.
- Attack the pinned piece with a pawn or a second piece. It cannot run away.
- Beware of pins on your own side: a pinned defender can be overloaded.
A common mistake
Attacking the pinned piece with something that is itself pinned or loose.
A worked example
RR
K
B
Q
N
Q
N
B
KB
RBlack to move. White has just played Qxg3. Find the best move.
Solution: 16... Ng4+ 17. Qxg4 Bxg4
Ng4+ checks the king, so your opponent has to answer the check. The idea: A pinned piece cannot move without exposing something more valuable behind it.
The highlighted squares show White's last move. This position is a different puzzle from the ones you start with above (1168 rating).
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Questions
What is the difference between a pin and a skewer?
In a pin the less valuable piece is in front, so it is stuck. In a skewer the more valuable piece is in front and must move, losing what is behind it.
Where do these puzzles come from?
They are real puzzles from the Lichess puzzle database, which is free to use under the CC0 license. Each one was built from a real game and tested by many players. We picked well-rated ones with good popularity scores.
Are the puzzles free?
Yes. There is no signup, no limit and no ads on the puzzles. Your progress on this page is not saved after you leave.
What do the difficulty levels mean?
Beginner puzzles are rated under 1250, intermediate 1250 to 1749 and advanced 1750 and up, using the rating Lichess players earned on each puzzle.