Pin vs skewer
Two mirror-image motifs: a pin freezes a piece in front of a bigger one; a skewer forces the bigger one to move and abandon what's behind it.
A pin and a skewer are the same geometry seen from opposite ends. Both line up two enemy pieces on one rank, file, or diagonal with a long-range attacker behind them. The difference is which piece is in front. In a pin, the less valuable piece (or the king) is in front, so the piece behind it is shielded and the front piece can't — or shouldn't — move. In a skewer, the more valuable piece is in front, so when it steps aside the piece behind it falls.
Because they're mirror images, a pin can become a skewer if the shielded piece is forced forward, and vice versa. Learning to see both from the same lined-up position is what turns a static pin into winning material.
Recognising the geometry — two enemy pieces on one line with your bishop, rook, or queen aiming through them — is what lets you spot both motifs instantly instead of only the one you happened to practise.
Calling every lined-up attack a 'pin' and missing the skewer, or trying to pin when the valuable piece is actually in front (a skewer that just wins it outright).
Related terms
See Pin vs skewer in your own games
Play the engine, train tactics, and analyse your games — ChessRanger points out these patterns as they come up so the word turns into a skill. Free to start.
Start playing