What is a Skewer?

A skewer is the reverse of a pin. Instead of attacking a less valuable piece to freeze it in front of a more valuable one, a skewer attacks the more valuable piece first, forcing it to move and exposing the piece behind it.

Think of it as a kebab: the first piece is skewered through to the one behind it.

How Skewers Work

The pattern is simple:

1. You attack a valuable piece (often the king) along a rank, file, or diagonal.
2. That piece must move (especially if it's check).
3. After it moves, you capture the piece that was behind it.

The most common skewer is a rook or queen checking the king along a rank or file, with another piece sitting behind the king on the same line.

Skewer vs. Pin

Pins and skewers are related but opposite:

Pin: Less valuable piece in front, more valuable piece behind. The front piece is stuck.
Skewer: More valuable piece in front, less valuable piece behind. The front piece is forced to move.

Both exploit the same geometric idea — two pieces aligned on the same line with an attacker.

Common Skewer Patterns

King and queen on the same rank. A rook or queen checks the king, and after it moves, the queen is captured. This is the most devastating skewer.

King and rook on the same diagonal. A bishop checks the king, and after it moves, the bishop takes the rook.

Queen and rook on the same file. A rook attacks the queen from the end of the file. The queen must flee, and the rook behind it falls.

Setting Up Skewers

Skewers rarely appear on their own. You often have to create the alignment first:

Trade pieces to simplify the position and open lines.
Give check to force the king onto a line where another piece sits.
Open files and diagonals by exchanging pawns.

The key insight: if two enemy pieces are on the same line, ask yourself — can I attack along that line?

Try It Yourself

Practice finding skewers in the puzzles below. Look for two enemy pieces aligned on a rank, file, or diagonal.