Skewer in Chess

What is a skewer

A skewer (you can picture it as a "spear") is a tactic where your long-range piece attacks two pieces on the same line, with the more valuable target in front and the less valuable one behind it.

The front piece usually has to move away, and then the piece that stood behind it comes under attack. Very often the front piece is the king or the queen, and behind it is a rook, bishop, knight or pawn.

Skewers are most often made by a bishop, a rook and a queen, because they attack along lines: diagonals, files and ranks.

How a skewer differs from a pin

These tactics look alike, because in both cases two pieces on the same line matter. But the idea is different:

  • Pin: the front piece seems "glued" and doesn't want to or can't move away.
  • Skewer: the front piece, on the contrary, has to move away, and then the piece behind it is left under attack.
The most common skewer: check to the king, with a valuable piece standing behind the king. The king has to move, and after that the piece behind it is lost.

How to find a skewer

  1. Look for lines: diagonals, files and ranks.
  2. See whether two enemy pieces stand one behind the other.
  3. Check whether your bishop, rook or queen can get onto that line.
  4. Ask yourself: which piece is in front and which is behind?
  5. If the front piece is more valuable and has to move away, the skewer works.

Tips to spot skewers faster

For kids

Imagine a bishop, rook or queen throwing a long spear in a straight line. First it hits the main target, and then it "reaches" the second one too.

If there is a king or a queen in front with another piece behind it, be sure to look for a skewer.

For adults

Look for X-ray attacks and pieces lined up on the same line. A skewer is especially strong when the front piece has to react, for example a king in check.

A practical guide: king → queen → rook → bishop/knight → pawn. If a more valuable piece stands in front and a less valuable one behind it, a skewer often appears.

Common mistake: seeing a nice line and not checking that after the front piece moves away your attacking piece isn't lost right away and that the opponent doesn't get a counter-tactic. Always calculate one more move ahead.

Examples

Try it yourself: make a move on the board. If you get stuck, press "Show solution".

1. Bishop skewer: check to the king, with a rook behind it

Move: Be4+

Idea: the bishop goes to e4 and along the e4 - d5 - c6 - b7 - a8 diagonal attacks the king on c6 and the rook on a8.

The king has to get out of check, and then White takes the rook. This is a classic skewer along a diagonal.

Solution: Be4+ - check to the king on c6, and behind it on the same diagonal is the rook on a8. The king moves away, then Bxa8.

2. Bishop skewer: queen in front, rook behind

Move: Bf3

Idea: this time the front piece on the line is the queen on d5, with the rook on a8 behind it. The bishop is protected by the pawn on g2, and the queen can't cover the rook because Black's own knight on b8 and pawn on a7 are in the way.

The queen usually has to move away, and then the rook is left unprotected. It's not a check, but the idea is the same: the more valuable front piece moves away, and the one behind it is lost.

Solution: Bf3 - the queen on d5 is attacked, and the rook on a8 stands behind it. The queen moves away, then Bxa8.

3. Rook skewer: queen in front, rook behind

Move: Rd4

Idea: the rook comes out onto the open file and attacks the queen on d5, with the rook on d8 behind it. Taking the rook with the queen is a bad idea: it is protected by the pawns on c3 and e3.

The black queen has to retreat, and then White gets the chance to win the rook. This is a skewer along a file.

Solution: Rd4 - the queen on d5 is attacked by a protected rook, and the rook on d8 stands behind it. The queen moves away, then Rxd8+.

4. Queen skewer: check to the king, with a rook behind it

Move: Qe4+

Idea: along the same diagonal, the queen attacks the king on c6 and the rook on a8.

When the king moves away, the rook is left under attack. The queen is very dangerous in such ideas too, because it can make skewers both along diagonals and along straight lines.

Solution: Qe4+ - check to the king on c6, with the rook on a8 behind it. The king moves away, then Qxa8.

5. Bishop skewer: king in front, queen behind

Move: Ba4+

Idea: the bishop attacks along the a4 - b5 - c6 - d7 - e8 diagonal: the king on c6 is in front, and the queen on e8 is behind it.

The king has to move away, and then White gets the chance to win the queen. This is an especially nice skewer, because the prize is the strongest piece after the king.

Solution: Ba4+ - check to the king on c6, with the queen on e8 behind it. The king moves away, then Bxe8.

A daily mini-workout

  • Look for two enemy pieces on the same line.
  • Check whether you can place a bishop, rook or queen so that it hits both of them.
  • Right away, figure out who is in front and who is behind.
  • If the more valuable piece is in front, think: what will I win after it moves away?

A skewer is a tactic about lines, the order of pieces and their value. The more often you look at pieces "in a row", the sooner you will start noticing skewers right during the game.