The chess skewer

Chess tactics

What is a skewer in chess?

A skewer is a pin in reverse. You attack a valuable piece, and when it moves away, you capture the less valuable piece standing behind it on the same line. Skewers are played by bishops, rooks and queens.

How to spot it
  • Look for a king or queen with another piece lined up behind it on a file, rank or diagonal.
  • Checks make the best skewers: the king has to move and the piece behind falls.
  • Rooks in the endgame often skewer a king and a rook on the same rank.
A common mistake

Skewering from a square where your piece can be captured. Make sure the attacking piece is safe first.

Try it: real puzzles
Example 1: White to move
Show the solution

37. d7+ Kxd7 38. Ra7+ Kc6 39. Rxg7

Example 2: White to move
Show the solution

41. Bc3+ d4 42. Bxd4+ Kf7 43. Bxh8

Example 3: White to move
Show the solution

18. Qa8+ Kd7 19. Qxd8+

Example 4: Black to move
Show the solution

64... Rf2+ 65. Ke3 Rxf5

Train skewer puzzles in ChessPeak

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