What is a skewer in chess?

A skewer is a tactical motif where one piece attacks two enemy pieces lined up on the same rank, file, or diagonal. The more valuable piece in front — usually the king — is forced to move out of check, leaving the piece behind it exposed to capture. It is the mirror image of a pin, and it is one of the most common ways to win material in a chess endgame.

How do I spot a long skewer in a chess endgame?

Look for the enemy king and a major piece — typically the queen or rook — standing on the same line. Then ask whether your long-range piece can deliver a check that also threatens the piece behind the king. Open files and a king stripped of its pawn shield make this pattern far more likely to appear and far more punishing.

How do I use a rook to win a queen in the endgame?

A rook wins a queen through a skewer: move the rook to a square where it gives check while pointing straight at the queen that sits behind the enemy king. Because the king must answer the check, the queen cannot escape, and the rook simply captures it on the next move. This decisive material gain usually ends the game.

Is a skewer more powerful than a pin?

Skewers are generally more devastating than pins because the attacked leading piece is the more valuable one, so it must move and expose the piece behind it. A pin attacks a piece that usually cannot move without exposing something more important, but the defense often has options. In endgames, a skewer often wins outright material such as a queen.

What should I do when my bishop is attacked in the endgame?

Before retreating, check for counterplay. If the attacker has left its own king exposed or its major pieces aligned, you may have a check or a skewer that turns the tables and wins decisive material. The strongest defenders in endgames look for counter-threats first, because a forced retreat often hands the initiative to the opponent.

Skewer Advanced Puzzle (Rated 984): Skewer

Skewer Advanced Puzzle (Rated 984): Skewer — Win the Queen

White is under fire in this endgame: the enemy queen has just launched a double attack against the bishop on d4 and a pawn on g2. Retreating would leave White on the defensive, but the board holds a more powerful idea. Because the black king and queen stand on the same rank, White can turn the tables with a long skewer — a check that also attacks the queen behind the king. The forced king move hands White the queen, converting a scary attack into decisive material gain and a won endgame.