Pins in Chess: Complete Guide
A pin is one of the most powerful tactical motifs: a piece is attacked and cannot move (or should not move) because it would expose a more valuable piece behind it. Absolute pins (against the king) are the strongest, the pinned piece is completely paralysed. Relative pins offer more subtlety and tactical depth.
Absolute pins
An absolute pin occurs when the piece behind the pinned piece is the king. The pinned piece is legally unable to move, it would expose the king to check. This makes absolute pins incredibly powerful: the pinned piece is effectively removed from the game. Common patterns: bishop pinning a knight to the king, rook pinning a queen to the king.
Relative pins
A relative pin occurs when the piece behind is valuable but not the king. The pinned piece can move, but doing so would lose material. Example: a bishop pins a knight to a rook. The knight can move, but then the rook is captured. Relative pins require judgment: sometimes breaking the pin is worth the material cost.
Exploiting pins
- Pile up on the pinned piece: Attack the pinned piece with additional pieces, the opponent can't defend it effectively because it can't move.
- Win pawns: A pinned knight on f6 can't recapture on e4.
- Restriction: Pinned pieces don't defend squares, use this to break through. Practise with pin puzzles.