Skewer in chess
A pin turned around: the valuable piece is in front, it must move, and the piece behind it falls.
A skewer attacks a valuable piece along a line, forcing it to move, and wins the less valuable piece standing behind it.
Skewer versus pin
Both are line attacks on two pieces at once. The difference is the order. In a pin, the valuable piece is behind, so the front piece is frozen. In a skewer, the valuable piece is in front, so it must move and the piece behind is captured.
A skewer against the king is the most forcing tactic in chess: the check must be answered, and whatever stood behind the king is simply lost.
Where skewers happen
- Endgames. With the board open and kings exposed, rook and queen skewers along open files, ranks and long diagonals win games constantly. The queen-versus-pawn endgame is won almost entirely by repeated checks and skewers.
- After a king is forced onto a line. Deliver a check that drives the king to a file where a rook stands behind it, then skewer.
- Along long diagonals. Two heavy pieces on the same diagonal are a bishop's invitation.
In endgame technique, the search for a skewer is the reason strong players check first and think second. If a check drags the enemy king onto the same line as its own rook, the game is usually over.
Avoiding skewers
- Do not leave the king and a rook on the same open line if a queen or rook can reach it.
- In queen endgames, keep the king near your own pawns and near shelter - a bare king on an open board will be skewered eventually.
- Before making a check-forcing move, ask what the opponent lines up behind you.
Practise the skewer
Reading about a pattern is not the same as seeing it under time pressure. The puzzle trainer serves rated positions taken from real games, adjusting to your level as you solve - and any puzzle you get wrong opens on the full analysis board in one click, so you can find out exactly what you missed.
Related tactics
Pin
A pinned piece cannot move without exposing something more valuable behind it - so it stops being a defender.
Fork
One piece, two targets. The fork is the most common winning tactic in chess and the first one worth mastering.
Discovered attack
Move one piece and a completely different piece delivers the threat. Two attacks for the price of one move.
Frequently asked questions
What is a skewer in chess?
A line attack that hits a valuable piece and wins the piece behind it once the front piece moves away. It is sometimes called a "reverse pin" or an "X-ray attack".
Is a skewer better than a pin?
A skewer usually wins material immediately, while a pin creates a lasting weakness you must still exploit. In that sense the skewer is more forcing, but the pin often does more damage over a whole game.