In chess, mobility is everything. A piece that cannot move is a piece that cannot fight. The pin is one of the most fundamental and powerful tactical concepts in chess because it directly robs your opponent's pieces of their mobility, leaving them vulnerable to attack.
A pin occurs when an attacking piece (a bishop, rook, or queen) attacks an enemy piece in such a way that if the defender moves, a more valuable piece behind it will be captured.
Absolute vs. Relative Pins
There are two main types of pins in chess, and understanding the difference is crucial for your tactical calculations.
1. The Absolute Pin
An absolute pin occurs when the piece sitting behind the pinned piece is the king.
Because putting your own king in check is an illegal move in chess, the pinned piece is completely frozen. It cannot move under any circumstances.
For example, if White has a bishop on g5 and Black has a knight on f6 with their king on e8, the knight is in an absolute pin. Black cannot move the knight to capture or defend another square because doing so would expose the king to the bishop's line of sight.
2. The Relative Pin
A relative pin occurs when the piece sitting behind the pinned piece is valuable (like a queen or rook), but not the king.
Moving the pinned piece is legally allowed, but it is usually a bad idea because it results in the loss of the more valuable piece behind it.
Using the same example, if Black's queen is on d8 instead of the king on e8, the knight is in a relative pin. Black can legally move the knight, but they will lose their queen if they do.
How to Exploit a Pinned Piece
Once you have pinned an opponent's piece, do not just leave it there. You must learn how to exploit it.
The Golden Rule: "Pile up on the pinned piece!"
Since a pinned piece cannot move, it is a sitting duck. The best way to win it is to attack it with more pieces, especially pawns.
If you attack a pinned knight with a pawn, the knight cannot run away. The opponent will be forced to either sacrifice another piece to save it or watch their knight get captured.
How to Break a Pin
If you find your own pieces pinned, you need to know how to escape:
- Block the line: Place another piece between the pinning piece and the valuable piece behind it.
- Move the valuable piece: Move your king or queen out of the line of fire so your pinned piece is freed.
- Attack the pinning piece: Force the opponent's pinning piece to move by attacking it with a pawn or another defender.
Practice Pinning on LocalChess
Mastering the pin is an essential milestone for every chess player. It teaches you how to coordinate your pieces and create pressure.
Want to try it out? Start a match on LocalChess, focus on creating pins with your bishops and rooks, and practice "piling up" on your opponent's pinned pieces until their defense breaks down!