Pins
A pin locks a piece in place because moving it would expose a more valuable piece (often the king) behind it.
Why This Matters
- A pin happens when a bishop, rook, or queen attacks a piece that is standing in front of a more valuable piece.
- An "absolute" pin is against the king - the pinned piece legally cannot move at all.
- Pinned pieces make great targets: pile up more attackers on them since they often cannot run away.
Objectives
- Define what a pin is and why a pinned piece cannot move freely.
- Recognize pins along files, ranks, and diagonals.
- Find moves that create or exploit a pin.
Guided Interactive Lesson
Step 0 of 8
Try to play move 1:(Expected idea from lesson line)
Lesson Line
- e4
- e5
- Nf3
- Nc6
- Bb5
- d6
- d4
- Bd7
Practice Positions
Find the move yourself — the answer stays hidden until you solve it or reveal it.
Practice 1 of 3
White to move. Black's knight can't legally move — find the way to win it.
Practice 2 of 3
White to move. Black's bishop on f6 is stuck — take it.
Practice 3 of 3
White to move. Black's rook on e8 can't move without exposing the king — capture it.
Mini-Game
Play this position with a partner. Look for any bishop or rook move that would pin an enemy piece to its king or queen.
Printable Move-by-Move Boards
Print one board per step to review the full sequence offline.
Open printable version