Skewer
The pin's mirror image: attack a valuable piece that must move, exposing a less valuable piece directly behind it to capture.
Key Ideas
- The more valuable piece is in front and is forced to move, unlike a pin where it hides behind.
- Most common with rooks, bishops, and queens along an open rank, file, or diagonal.
- A skewer against the king is especially powerful, since the king's move is forced by the rules of check.
- Always check whether the piece "behind" the skewer is actually worth winning before committing.
How It Works
A skewer looks like a pin at first glance — a long-range piece lines up two enemy pieces on the same rank, file, or diagonal — but the order is reversed: the more valuable piece is in front and forced to move, exposing the piece behind it to capture.
Skewers against the king are the most forcing version of all, since the king is legally required to move out of check, guaranteeing the attacker gets to scoop up whatever was hiding behind it.
Bishops delivering skewers along a long diagonal are a particularly common pattern in the middlegame and endgame, often appearing when a king is caught on the same diagonal as an undefended rook or queen.
Famous Games
Endgame skewers
Skewers are especially decisive in the endgame, where kings are more exposed and there are fewer pieces around to block the line of attack.
Watch & Learn
Video lessons come and go, so instead of linking a specific clip that might disappear, here's a live search for this exact topic:
▶ Search YouTube for "chess skewer tactic explained examples"