What Is Skewer in Chess?
A skewer is the reverse of a pin — a valuable piece is attacked directly and must move, exposing a less valuable piece behind it to capture.
Definition
A skewer is a tactic where a piece attacks a high-value enemy piece (usually the king or queen). When that piece moves to safety, a less valuable piece behind it is captured. It's the opposite of a pin: in a pin the valuable piece is in the back; in a skewer it's in the front.
Example
A White rook on a1 attacks the Black king on a8. The king must move off the a-file. After Kg8, the White rook captures the Black rook on a6 — which was sitting behind the king. The king was 'skewered' to the rook.
Why It Matters for Your Chess
Skewers often win material because the piece in front (the king or queen) is too valuable to sacrifice and must flee. Endgames with rooks and queens are especially rich in skewer opportunities.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between a pin and a skewer?
In a pin, the more valuable piece is behind the attacked piece. In a skewer, the more valuable piece is the one being attacked directly — it moves away, and the piece behind it gets captured.
Which pieces can create skewers?
Only sliding pieces — bishops, rooks, and queens — can create skewers because they attack along lines.
Practice Skewer in Your Games
FireChess detects tactical patterns like skewer in your games and shows you exactly what you missed — and how to find them next time.
Related Terms
Fork
A fork is a tactic where one piece attacks two or more enemy pieces simultaneously, forcing your opponent to lose material.
Pin
A pin is a tactic where a piece is immobilized because moving it would expose a more valuable piece behind it to capture.
X-Ray Attack
An X-ray attack is when a piece exerts pressure through an enemy piece, targeting what's behind it on the same line.
Tactic
A tactic is a sequence of forced moves that immediately wins material or delivers checkmate — the short-term 'violence' of chess.