What is a skewer in chess?

A skewer is a tactic where you attack a more valuable piece along a line; when it moves out of the way, a less valuable piece behind it is captured. It is the reverse of a pin: the higher-value piece sits in front and must step aside, exposing what is behind. In this puzzle both sides have skewer chances, so watch every piece along open files and diagonals.

How do I launch a kingside attack in the middlegame?

Gather your heavy pieces toward the enemy king: place your queen and bishop on squares that target the kingside, open lines when you can, and look for the defender that must be removed. A queen-and-bishop battery on a long diagonal is one of the deadliest setups, especially when the king's pawn shield is already cracked. Then force the issue with checks that drive the king into the open.

What is a queen and bishop battery?

A battery is two pieces lined up on the same line so they reinforce each other. With a queen and bishop, the queen can often invade deep into the enemy camp knowing the bishop covers the landing square, while the bishop's long diagonal attacks the king's defenders from a distance. Batteries turn one strong piece into a coordinated force, which is why they anchor so many attacking middlegames.

How strong is a bishop on g7 in a kingside attack?

A bishop on g7 is often the soul of the attack: it sits on a long diagonal that rakes the castled king's position, controlling squares the enemy pawns cannot challenge. It can guard the invasion square for your queen and cover the piece that shelters the king. Such bishops are a big reason engines rate king safety so highly in these positions.

What is an overloaded defender in chess?

An overloaded defender is a piece that defends two or more important points at once; when you attack or deflect it, one of those points falls. In this puzzle the enemy queen was the sole defender of key pawns, and that strain is part of why the position cracked. Spotting overloaded defenders tells you where to direct your attack: hit the defender, and the rest collapses.

Why should I prefer checks over quiet moves when attacking the king?

Forcing moves — checks and captures — narrow your opponent's options and let you convert a promising position into concrete gains. When your pieces are close to the enemy king, look for a short sequence of checks that drags the king into the open or strips its defenders. If the checks fail, then and only then return to quieter positional build-ups.

Skewer Advanced Puzzle (Rated 887): Win

Skewer Advanced Puzzle (Rated 887): Win — Kingside Skewer

This middlegame position showcases a classic kingside attack where a queen and bishop form a devastating battery against a castled king. The bishop on g7 pulls double duty: it guards the back-rank square your queen wants to invade, and it stares at the rook still sheltering the king. A short series of forcing checks drags the king into the open, strips away the key defender, and converts the pressure into a decisive material gain. Positions like this reward players who calculate forcing sequences before considering quieter, slower plans.