A pin happens when a bishop, rook or queen attacks a piece that cannot safely move because a more valuable piece stands behind it on the same line. The pinned piece is stuck, and you can pile on pressure until it falls. Pins are one of the most common ways to win material. This guide covers the two kinds of pin, how to build and break them, and the details that decide whether a pin is truly effective.
Two kinds of pin
| Type | What is behind | Can the pinned piece move? |
|---|---|---|
| Absolute pin | The king | No, it is against the rules |
| Relative pin | A queen, rook or other valuable piece | Yes, but it loses the piece behind |
In an absolute pin the move is illegal because it would expose your own king to check. In a relative pin the move is legal, but costly.
A classic example
- Picture a White bishop on g5, a Black knight on f6 and the Black queen on d8.
- The three pieces sit on one diagonal, with the knight in the middle.
- If the knight moves away, the bishop captures the queen. That is a relative pin.
- Now picture a White bishop on b5, a Black knight on c6 and the Black king on e8 with the d7 square empty.
- The knight cannot legally move at all, because that would put its own king in check. That is an absolute pin.
How to exploit a pin
- Attack the pinned piece again with a pawn or another piece; it cannot run away.
- Increase attackers until the number of attackers exceeds the number of defenders.
- Look for pawn moves that attack the pinned piece, since pawns are low-value attackers.
- Add a second pin on the same line if you can.
How to escape a pin
- Move the valuable piece behind it out of the line, so the pin disappears.
- Block the line with another piece or a pawn.
- Capture the pinning piece, perhaps with a trade.
- Counter by attacking something more valuable of your own.
- Break the pin by giving the king room, such as playing a pawn to make a flight square.
Pins also help in the opening. Bishops that pin a knight to the king or queen slow the opponent’s development and can set up a capture on the knight. Always check whether a pin is real before relying on it: ask what the pinned piece may still do, such as capture the pinner or give a defensive check.
A Step-by-Step Way to Find Pins
- Look along every open diagonal, rank and file where you have a bishop, rook or queen.
- Find a line where an enemy piece stands in front and a more valuable piece or the king stands behind it.
- Check that nothing else blocks the line between your piece and the front target.
- Confirm your pinning piece is safe on its square. A pin that can be captured by a pawn is easily broken.
- Decide what you want: to win the pinned piece, to freeze it so an enemy plan fails, or to gain time while the opponent untangles.
- Add attackers or threats that work only because the pinned piece cannot respond.
Common Scenarios
The knight pinned to the queen
A bishop on a diagonal against a knight with the queen behind is a very common opening pattern. The knight is not lost immediately, but it cannot leave without costing the queen, so it also cannot help defend elsewhere.
The knight pinned to the king
Here the knight is frozen by the rules. A pawn push or a second attacker usually wins it, unless the defender can capture the pinner or block the line.
A pinned defender
If a piece that guards something important is pinned, it may not truly guard it. Capturing the guarded piece can work even though the pinned defender seems to protect it, because recapturing would be illegal or too costly for an absolutely pinned piece.
Pins on a file or rank
Rooks and queens create pins along files and ranks. A rook on an open file can pin a piece against a king or queen that stands on the same file, and a rook on the seventh rank can pin pieces along that rank.
Pinned piece still gives check
An absolutely pinned piece cannot move off the line, but it still attacks squares. It can give check, and an enemy king cannot step onto a square it attacks. Do not forget its influence.
Mistakes to Avoid
| Mistake | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Assuming every pin wins a piece | The defender may untangle with a block, a move of the valuable piece or a counter-threat |
| Pinning with a piece that can be captured by a pawn | A pawn takes the pinner and the pin ends at once |
| Forgetting that a relative pin is legal to break | The opponent can move the pinned piece if the gain outweighs the loss |
| Ignoring pins against your own pieces | An unnoticed pin can leave a defender unable to recapture |
| Moving a piece into a pin on the next move | Check which of your pieces will stand on a line with your king or queen |
Terms Worth Knowing
- Pinned piece
- The piece that is stuck because of the pin.
- Pinning piece
- The bishop, rook or queen that creates the pin.
- Absolute pin
- A pin against the king, which makes moving off the line illegal.
- Relative pin
- A pin against any other piece, where moving is legal but loses material.
- Line
- A rank, file or diagonal along which a long-range piece attacks.
- Unpin
- To remove the pin, for example by moving the king or the piece behind.
FAQ
Can a pinned piece capture the piece that pins it?
Yes, if it can reach that piece along the pin line. A pinned bishop, rook or queen may also slide along the line, because it still shields the piece behind.
Which pieces can make a pin?
Only the long-range pieces: bishops, rooks and queens. Knights, pawns and kings cannot pin.
Can a pawn be pinned?
Yes. A pawn on a line with its king can be absolutely pinned, and then it may move only if the move stays on that line, such as a capture along the pin or a forward step on a file. Otherwise it is frozen.
What is the best way to meet a pin on a knight?
Often you can break it by moving the king or queen, by interposing a pawn, or by attacking the pinning bishop with a pawn. Which is best depends on what else is hanging, so check threats first.
Is a pin the same as a skewer?
No. In a pin the less valuable piece stands in front, and in a skewer the more valuable piece stands in front. Both use long-range pieces on a line.
How do I avoid walking into a pin?
Before developing a piece, look at which diagonals and files will line your pieces up with your king or queen. A small pawn move or a different square for the piece often avoids the problem.
The Short Version
A pin freezes a piece because something worth more stands behind it. Add attackers to win it, and break pins by moving, blocking or capturing. Check what the pinned piece can still do before you rely on the pin.