In the world of chess tactics, the skewer is often described as a "reverse pin." It is a powerful, forcing move that can turn the tide of a game in a single turn.

While a pin shields a valuable piece with a less valuable one, a skewer does the opposite: it attacks a high-value piece directly, forcing it to step aside and expose a less valuable piece behind it to capture.

Like pins, skewers can only be executed by long-range line pieces: bishops, rooks, and queens.

Pin vs. Skewer: What is the Difference?

To understand a skewer, it helps to compare it to a pin:

  • In a Pin: The cheaper piece is in the front, and the expensive piece is in the back. The front piece cannot move because it would expose the back piece.
  • In a Skewer: The expensive piece is in the front, and the cheaper piece is in the back. The front piece is forced to move to save itself, leaving the back piece to be captured.

Types of Skewers

Skewers are classified based on the piece being attacked in the front.

1. Absolute Skewers (King in Front)

An absolute skewer occurs when you check the enemy king, and there is another piece lined up behind it. Because the king must move out of check, the opponent has no choice but to step aside, allowing you to capture the piece behind it on the next move.

Example Scenario:

Imagine White has a rook on a1. Black's king is on a7, and Black's undefended queen is on a8.

1. Ra7+

White plays the rook to a7, checking the king. The king is forced to move to safety (for example, to b8 or b6). Once the king moves, the rook captures the queen on a8 on the next turn.

2. Relative Skewers (Queen or Rook in Front)

In a relative skewer, the front piece is not the king, but another high-value piece like the queen. The opponent is not legally forced to move it, but they almost always will to avoid losing their most powerful piece.

Example Scenario:

Imagine White has a bishop on f3. Black's queen is on d5, and Black's knight is on b7 (aligned on the same diagonal).

White plays:

1. Bxd5

If the bishop moves to a square like c6, it attacks the queen. If the queen moves to safety, the bishop captures the undefended knight on b7.

How to Spot Skewers in Your Games

  • Check Line Alignment: Regularly scan the board to see if your opponent's king, queen, and rooks are aligned on the same rank, file, or diagonal.
  • Expose the King: Use checks to force the enemy king onto a file or diagonal where an undefended piece is sitting behind it.
  • Watch the Endgames: Rook and bishop skewers are incredibly common in endgames, where kings are active and pieces are sparse.

Try it Yourself

Skewers are simple to learn but highly effective in competitive play. By recognizing alignment patterns, you can catch your opponents off guard and win their valuable pieces.

Ready to practice? Fire up a game against the computer on LocalChess, keep your eyes peeled for aligned pieces, and try to execute a winning skewer!