Puzzle theme

Pin Puzzles

6,400+ free pin puzzles in the library

A piece is pinned when moving it would expose a more valuable piece behind it.

Every puzzle below comes from a real game where this exact idea decided the outcome. Solve them right here in your browser — hints and full solutions included, no account needed.

Why it works

The pinned piece cannot move without losing the more valuable piece behind it.

What to look for

Look for pieces in a line with the king or queen behind them.

See the pattern

Chess diagram: a white bishop on a4 pins the black knight on c6 against the king on e8
White to move. The c6-knight is pinned to its king by the a4-bishop — 1.d5 attacks it and it cannot run.

Solve pin puzzles now

Real positions from the library, filtered to this theme. Pick a difficulty and find the best move.

Pin puzzles: frequently asked questions

What are Pin puzzles?

A piece is pinned when moving it would expose a more valuable piece behind it. Every puzzle on this page is a position from a real game where exactly this idea decides the outcome.

Why does this pattern work?

The pinned piece cannot move without losing the more valuable piece behind it.

What should I look for in Pin puzzles?

Look for pieces in a line with the king or queen behind them.

Are these Pin puzzles free?

Yes — the trainer on this page pulls from 6,400+ pin positions in the Blunders library and is free to use in your browser, no account or download required. A free account adds progress tracking and puzzles built from your own games.

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