Pin puzzles
A pin freezes a piece because moving it would expose something worth more behind it. These ten Lichess positions show pins winning material and breaking defences.
Most players can define a pin and still miss one in a game, because the pin itself rarely wins anything. The win comes from what the pin makes impossible: a recapture, a defence, or a king escape.
Pins come in two kinds. An absolute pin, against the king, makes moving the piece illegal. A relative pin, against a queen or rook, only makes it costly. Both are worth drilling, and repetition teaches you to ask what the pinned piece can no longer do.
What to look for
- A king or queen on the same line as one of their own pieces, with your bishop, rook or queen able to reach that line.
- Pinned defenders: a piece that seems to guard a square but cannot move without exposing the king.
- Extra attackers on the pinned piece. A pinned piece attacked twice often simply falls.
- Moves that break your own pins before the opponent exploits them.
10 puzzles
Solve these pin puzzles
Real positions from the Lichess puzzle database, rated 913 to 1604, easiest first. The board faces the side to move.
Puzzle 1 · rated 913
White to move. Puzzle 2 · rated 957
Black to move. Puzzle 3 · rated 1018
White to move. Puzzle 4 · rated 1079
Black to move. Puzzle 5 · rated 1235
Black to move. Puzzle 6 · rated 1374
Black to move. Puzzle 7 · rated 1400
Black to move. Puzzle 8 · rated 1457
Black to move. Puzzle 9 · rated 1603
Black to move. Puzzle 10 · rated 1604
Black to move.
Train these as a Woodpecker set
Ten puzzles show the pattern; repetition makes it automatic. Peck builds a 100-puzzle pin set from the same database and times you through 5 cycles, with a review queue for the ones you miss. Or take the PGN into any chess app and repeat it there.
FAQ
Pin puzzles: questions
What is a pin in chess?
A pin is when a piece cannot move, or should not move, because a more valuable piece behind it on the same line would then be captured. Only bishops, rooks and queens can pin.
What is the difference between a pin and a skewer?
In a pin the less valuable piece is in front and stays frozen. In a skewer the more valuable piece is in front, is forced to move, and exposes the piece behind it.
How do I stop missing pins?
Before each move, check every line from your opponent’s bishops, rooks and queen to your king and queen. Repeating a pin set trains that scan until it happens without effort.
Ready when you are
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