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Worksheet: Skewers

Topic: middlegame | Level: 2 | Week 6

A skewer attacks a valuable piece that must move out of the way, exposing a less valuable piece behind it to be captured.

Why This Matters

  • A skewer is like a pin in reverse: the bigger piece is in front and must move, uncovering the smaller piece behind it.
  • Skewers are often delivered with a check, since the king must move and cannot ignore it.
  • After the forced move, remember to actually capture the piece that was hiding behind - that is the point of the skewer.

Objectives

  • Define a skewer and how it differs from a pin.
  • Recognize when a check can be used to set up a skewer.
  • Find and follow through on skewer moves.

Practice Tasks

  1. Explain the difference between a pin and a skewer.
  2. In the mini-game position, is there a piece lined up behind the black king on a file, rank, or diagonal?
  3. Solve the 3 skewer puzzles and write down the forced reply move for each.

Board Walkthrough

Follow the lesson one board at a time. The teacher answer key includes the move list.

Board 1
Board 2
Board 3
Board 4
Board 5
Board 6
Board 7
Board 8
Board 9

Practice Positions

Solve each position on paper first. Answers live only in the separate teacher/parent key.

Practice 1

White to move. Check the king, then win the piece behind it.

Practice 2

White to move. Check the king, then win the piece behind it.

Practice 3

White to move. Check the king, then win the piece behind it.

Mini-Game

Play this position with a partner. Look for any check that would force the king to move and expose another piece behind it - that is a skewer.

Answer Key

Skewers

Teacher/parent key for Worksheet: Skewers.

Worksheet Answers

  1. Prompt: Explain the difference between a pin and a skewer.

    In a pin the less valuable piece is in front; in a skewer the more valuable piece is in front and forced to move.

  2. Prompt: In the mini-game position, is there a piece lined up behind the black king on a file, rank, or diagonal?

    Answers will vary based on the position reached.

  3. Prompt: Solve the 3 skewer puzzles and write down the forced reply move for each.

    See practice positions above for each puzzle's forced reply and follow-up capture.

Model Line

  1. d4
  2. d5
  3. c4
  4. e6
  5. Nc3
  6. Nf6
  7. Bg5
  8. Be7

Practice Position Solutions

Skewers — Practice 1

White to move. Check the king, then win the piece behind it.

Solution: Ra8+ Ke7 Rxh8

Ra8+ checks the king on the back rank. The pawns on d7 and f7 block every other escape square, so Ke7 is forced. Once the king steps off the 8th rank, the rook captures the queen on h8 — a skewer.

Skewers — Practice 2

White to move. Check the king, then win the piece behind it.

Solution: Ra8+ Ke7 Rxg8

Ra8+ checks the king along the 8th rank. With d7 and f7 blocked by pawns, Ke7 is the only legal reply. That clears the rank so the rook can capture the rook on g8 next move.

Skewers — Practice 3

White to move. Check the king, then win the piece behind it.

Solution: Qa8+ Ke7 Qxh8

Qa8+ checks the king along the back rank, and the pawns on d7/f7 leave Ke7 as the only escape. Once the king steps aside, the queen captures the bishop on h8 — the same skewer idea, with a queen instead of a rook.