Pins Tutorial



1.
[{F:W}{B:64 WHITE}The Pin is a very important tactic in your Chess playing repertoire. Here's how a Pin works:

{D:7000}{B:8/6k1/5p2/16/2B5/16 WHITE}{D:1500}{H1:f6}{D:1000}{C}{D:2500}On this diagram, the Black Pawn cannot move because if it does, {A:Wc3g7}the King will be under attack from the White Bishop. We say that the Pawn is Pinned to the King.{W:PIL_001}]

2.
[{D:2500}There are always three elements to a Pin: {N:c3}{D:2500}the piece that does the Pinning; {N:f6}{A:Wc3f6}{D:2500}the piece that is Pinned;{N:g7}{A:Bf6g7}{D:2000}{C}{R} and the piece to which the Pinned Piece is Pinned.{W:PIL_002}]

3.
[{B:7k/4r1p1/8/7n/8/1PQ5/3P4/2K4R WHITE}{D:8000}{N:g7}{D:3000}{A:Wc3h8}{D:2500}{R}{C}{N:h5}{D:2500}{A:Wh1h8}{D:2000}{R}{C}The most powerful type of Pin involves the King. On this set-up, there are two pieces pinned to the Black King. The Pawn on g7 can't move because of the White Queen on c3, and Knight on h5 can't move because of the Rook on h1. If either the Pawn or the Knight moves, the King will be in Check.{W:PIL_003}]

4.
[{F:B}{B:3q3k/6p1/5p1p/3pp3/1b2P3/6P1/p2Q1P2/5RK1 BLACK}{D:5500}The second type of Pin involves a piece. On this set-up, Black can't take the{A:Bd5e4}{D:2000}{R}{D:2500} Pawn on e4, because if it does {A:Wd2d8}the White Queen on d2 can take the Black Queen on d8 and Check Black's King.{W:PIL_004}]

5.
[{F:W}{B:7k/6pp/24/2n5/8/2R5 WHITE}{D:7600}The last type of Pin involves a square. On this diagram, the Black Knight can't move, because if it does, {A:Wc1c8}the White Rook can move to c8 and deliver Checkmate to the Black King. So the Black Knight is Pinned to square c8.{W:PIL_005}]

6.
[{F:B}{B:3q3k/6pp/5p2/3pp3/4P3/1n4P1/p2Q1P2/5RK1 BLACK}{D:5700}If one of your pieces is Pinned, there are four ways to get out of it. On this set-up, the Pawn on {N:d5}d5 is Pinned to the {D:2000}{N:d8}{D:1900}Queen on d8 by the {N:d2}{D:2000}{C}Queen on d2. However, this is not a very strong Pin, because the White Queen can be captured by the {D:5500}{A:Bb3d2}{D:2500}Black Knight on b3. {R}{S:b3d2}Knight takes Queen. So, the first way to remove a Pin is by taking the Pinning piece.{W:PIL_006}]

7.
[{F:B}{B:7k/q5n1/8/7p/8/B1P5/3P4/3K3R BLACK}{D:6800}The second way to remove a Pin is by attacking the Pinning piece. On this diagram, Black can remove the Pin {A:Wh1h8}{D:2000}{R}on the Pawn by attacking the Rook with the Queen, {D:1500}{S:a7b7}{D:500}a7 to b7{A:Bb7h1}{D:2000}{R}. White must now move the Rook or risk losing it.{W:PIL_007}]

8.
[{F:W}{B:1k6/3r2b1/p2n4/1p6/5N2/2Q5/R2P4/K7 WHITE}{D:7500}The third way to remove a Pin is to place another, less valuable piece in the path of the Pin. Here, the {A:Bg7a1}{D:4500}{R}{D:5700}Queen is Pinned to the King by the Black Bishop. To get rid of the Pin, White can interpose by simply moving his Pawn {S:d2d4}to d4.{W:PIL_008}]

9.
[{B:4k3/b5p1/2q1pp2/8/3N2P1/5P2/5K2/1R6 WHITE}{D:7500}The last way to get out of a Pin is to move the more valuable piece out of the path of the Pin. Here, the {A:Ba7f2}{D:2500}{R}{D:6500}White Knight is Pinned to the King by the Black Bishop. White can escape this Pin by moving the King away, {S:f2g2}King to g2.{W:PIL_009}]

10.
[{B:64}A tactic that's similar to a Pin is called a Skewer. {D:4400}{P:WBb2}{P:BRe5}{P:BKg7}In this situation, the {D:1600}{A:Wb2g7}{D:2000}{R}Rook can't move because it's Pinned to the King. In a Pin, the {D:2500}{N:g7}piece behind the Pinned piece is usually the more valuable of the two. {D:4900}{C}{X:e5}{X:g7}{P:BKf6}{P:BRg7}In a Skewer, the piece that's in front{D:2400}{N:f6}{D:2000}{C} is the more valuable piece. In this Skewer, the King must move{D:1500}{S:f6f7}, and when it does, White wins the Rook{D:3000}{S:b2g7}.{W:PIL_010}]

11.
[{B:8/7r/3B4/16/4P3/3K4/8 BLACK}{V:Black to move.{W:btm} Set up a pin that will win material.{W:sup};
h7d7;Correct.{W:cor};
Sorry, that's not correct.{W:stnc};
h7h2:That move does not create a pin.{W:mncp}}]

12.
[{B:16/2k3n1/24/2b5/7R WHITE}
{V:White to move.{W:wtm} Set up a pin that will win material.{W:sup};
h1c1;That's right.{W:tr};
Sorry, that's not the right answer.{W:snra};
h1h6:That pin does not win material.{W:pnwm}}]

13.
[{B:4b3/24/2R5/5Q2/4K3/8 BLACK}
{V:Black to move.{W:btm} Set up a pin that will win material.{W:sup};
e8b5;That's correct.{W:tc};
That's not the correct answer.{W:tnca};
e8h5:That pin does not win material.{W:pnwm}}]

14.
[{B:16/6k1/2Q5/8/3r4/16 WHITE}
{V:White to move.{W:wtm} Move a piece to set up a pin.{W:mpsup};
c5c2;You got it right.{W:ygir};No, that's not correct.{W:ntnc};
c5c6:That move does not create a pin.{W:mncp}}]

15.
[{B:8/6b1/8/2Q5/8/K7/8/5r2 BLACK}
{V:Black to move.{W:btm} Move a piece to set up a pin.{W:mpsup};
g7f8;Correct.{W:cor};Sorry, that's not correct.{W:stnc}}]

16.
[{B:16/5k2/4r1n1/16/5B2/8 WHITE}
{V:White to move.{W:wtm} Set up a pin that will win material.{W:sup};
f2d4;That's right.{W:tr};
Sorry, that's not the right answer.{W:snra};
f2h4:That pin does not win material.{W:pnwm}}]

17.
[{B:16/1p6/k2n4/24/2Q5 WHITE}
{V:White to move.{W:wtm} Set up a pin that will win material.{W:sup};
c1g5;That's correct.{W:tc};
That's not the correct answer.{W:tnca};
c1c7:That pin does not win material.{W:pnwm}}]

18.
[{B:16/3K2B1/8/3Qp3/7r/16 BLACK}
{V:Black to move.{W:btm} Set up a pin that will win material.{W:sup};
h3d3;You got it right.{W:ygir};
No, that's not correct.{W:ntnc};
h3h6:That pin does not win material.{W:pnwm}}]

19.
[{B:24/1K5b/8/3Q4/2r5/8 BLACK}
{V:Black to move.{W:btm} Set up a pin that will win material.{W:sup};
h5e2;Correct.{W:cor};Sorry, that's not correct.{W:stnc}}]

20.
[{B:4k3/8/6n1/1n6/24/3B4 WHITE}
{V:White to move.{W:wtm} Set up a pin that will win material.{W:sup};
d1a4;That's correct.{W:tc};
That's not the correct answer.{W:tnca};
d1h5:That pin does not win material.{W:pnwm}}]

21.
[{B:4k2r/1p3ppp/1p2pn2/1n6/1P1P4/4PP2/4NKPP/3B2R1}
{V:White to move.{W:wtm} Set up a pin that will win material.{W:sup};
d1a4;Correct.{W:cor};
That move does not create a pin.{W:mncp}}]

22.
[{B:8/2k1b3/8/4pp2/pPb3pR/P3P1KP/2P3B1/8}
{V:White to move.{W:wtm} Move a piece to set up a pin.{W:mpsup};
h4h7;That's right.{W:tr};
That move does not create a pin.{W:mncp}}]

23.
[{B:7k/1p5p/2p3pP/2Pbn3/7Q/2P1P1KP/r4P2/8}
{V:White to move.{W:wtm} Move a piece to set up a pin.{W:mpsup};
h4d4;That's correct.{W:tc};
That's not the correct answer.{W:tnca}}]

24.
[{B:8/1B2nkp1/3q1pp1/3p4/2pP2P1/p1P2P2/P2Q4/1K6 BLACK}
{V:Black to move.{W:btm} Move a piece to set up a pin.{W:mpsup};
d6b8;You got it right.{W:ygir};No, that's not correct.{W:ntnc}}]

25.
[{B:2r1r2k/R4Pp1/1p1p1bp1/1P1P4/1P4P1/1K1B1PP1/16 BLACK}
{V:Black to move.{W:btm} Move a piece to set up a pin.{W:mpsup};
e8e3;Correct.{W:cor};
Sorry, that's not correct.{W:stnc}}]

26.
[{B:6k1/1p1b1pb1/p2p1qp1/P1pPr2p/2P1P3/4N1PP/1P3PK1/4BR2}
{V:White to move.{W:wtm} Move a piece to set up a pin.{W:mpsup};
e1c3;You got it right.{W:ygir};
No, that's not correct.{W:ntnc}}]

27.
[{B:8/2r3k1/3p3p/3P2p1/3rp1P1/QP1n2KP/6B1/8}
{V:White to move.{W:wtm} Set up a pin that will win material.{W:sup};
a3a1;That's right.{W:tr};
Sorry, that's not the right answer.{W:snra};
a3a7:That pin does not win material.{W:pnwm};
a3b2:That pin does not win material.{W:pnwm}}]

28.
[{B:1k6/ppqrn3/bp3p1p/6p1/3PP3/PQ2BPP1/KP2N2P/4r3 BLACK}
{V:Black to move.{W:btm} Set up a pin that will win material.{W:sup};
a6c4;That's correct.{W:tc};
That's not the correct answer.{W:tnca};
c7c4:That pin does not win material.{W:pnwm};
c7c2:That pin does not win material.{W:pnwm}}]

29.
[{B:2q3k1/4ppbp/3p2p1/1NpPn1N1/4PQ2/1P5P/4K1P1/8 BLACK} 
{V:Black to move.{W:btm} Set up a pin that will win material.{W:sup};
c8a6;Correct.{W:cor};
Sorry, that's not correct.{W:stnc};
g7h6:That pin does not win material.{W:pnwm}}]

30.
[{B:R7/p4pk1/Pp4pp/7r/1N6/6Pb/5P1P/1B4K1 BLACK}
{V:Black to move.{W:btm} Move a piece to set up a pin.{W:mpsup};
h5b5;That's right.{W:tr};
Sorry, that's not the right answer.{W:snra}}]