Beginner tactic · 4 of 11
The skewer
A check along a line. The king steps aside, and the piece behind it falls.
- Learn how it worksThree examples with Capra. You play each one yourself.Three examples with CapraStart the lesson
- Practise on real puzzlesPractise on puzzles80 skewer puzzles, from easy to very hard.0 of 80 solvedGo to the puzzlesGo to the puzzles
Three pieces can skewer
Like a pin, a skewer runs along a line. That means a rook, a bishop or a queen.
Rook skewer
The rook checks the king on the file, with the queen behind him.
Bishop skewer
The bishop checks the king on the diagonal, with the rook behind him.
Queen skewer
The queen checks the king from a distance, with the rook in the corner.
Skewers in numbers
Counted from the 5,862 skewers in our puzzle library, all taken from real games- 1 in 49
of our puzzles has a skewer in it.
- 9 in 10
skewers come in the endgame, when kings walk into the open.
- 71%
of skewers start with a rook move.
Which piece makes the first move
- Rook71%
- Queen16%
- Bishop11%
- Pawn1%
- Knight1%
What the skewer wins
- Rook72%
- Queen19%
- Bishop6%
- Knight2%
- Checkmate0%
Good to know
Skewers: common questions
What is a skewer in chess?
A skewer is an attack on two pieces standing on the same line, with the more valuable one in front. When the front piece moves out of the way, the piece behind it is captured.
What is the difference between a skewer and a pin?
They are mirror images. In a pin the less valuable piece is in front and cannot move. In a skewer the more valuable piece is in front and has to move, which gives up the piece behind it.
Which pieces can skewer?
The pieces that attack along a line: rooks, bishops and queens.
How do I avoid being skewered?
Do not leave your king on the same file, rank or diagonal as another of your pieces when an enemy rook, bishop or queen can reach that line with check.