Puzzle theme

Skewer Puzzles

1,800+ free skewer puzzles in the library

An attack on a valuable piece that forces it to move, exposing a 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

Unlike a pin, the front piece must move, allowing capture of the piece behind.

What to look for

Look for valuable pieces in a line with less valuable pieces behind them.

See the pattern

Chess diagram: a white bishop about to check the black king on d5 with the queen on b7 lined up behind it
White to move. 1.Bg2+ skewers king and queen on the long diagonal — when the king steps aside, Bxb7 follows.

Solve skewer puzzles now

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

Skewer puzzles: frequently asked questions

What are Skewer puzzles?

An attack on a valuable piece that forces it to move, exposing a 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?

Unlike a pin, the front piece must move, allowing capture of the piece behind.

What should I look for in Skewer puzzles?

Look for valuable pieces in a line with less valuable pieces behind them.

Are these Skewer puzzles free?

Yes — the trainer on this page pulls from 1,800+ skewer 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.

Keep training

Related themes

More free training

Stop repeating the same mistakes

Blunders analyzes the games you actually play and turns your mistakes into puzzles like these. Thousands of puzzles and opening training are free. The free account needs no credit card — Pro is optional.