Skewer in chess: how it works
A valuable piece is attacked and must move, exposing a less valuable piece behind it.
A skewer is like a pin in reverse. In a pin, the valuable piece is behind and cannot move. In a skewer, the valuable piece is in front and is forced to move - leaving the piece behind it to be captured.
Skewers usually win material because the more important piece (often the king or queen) steps out of the way and the piece behind it is taken for free.
Rooks, bishops, and queens deliver skewers along ranks, files, and diagonals. The key is to line up a piece behind an important enemy piece.
Skewer examples
White rook skewers the king to win the rook on a8
The white rook on a1 gives check along the a-file. The black king on a6 is forced to step off the file (there is no way to block a rook check on the same file). Once the king moves, white plays Rxa8 and wins the black rook for free. That is a skewer: the king is in front, and moving it costs the piece behind it.
White bishop skewers the queen: when it moves, the rook on g8 is lost
The white bishop on a2 attacks the black queen on d5 along the long diagonal. Behind the queen, on the same diagonal, sits the black rook on g8. The queen is more valuable than the rook, so it must move to safety. But when it does, the bishop continues along the diagonal to take the rook. The queen was skewered: forced to move and lose the piece behind it.
Spot skewer in YOUR games →
Free. Chess2EZ finds every skewer, pin, and blunder in your real games and explains each one in plain English.
Analyze my games →