ChessschoolChess tactics: forks, pins and skewers
Tactics use forcing moves or vulnerable pieces to win material or deliver checkmate.
The fork
A fork attacks two targets at once. Knights are good at attacking a king and a rook together. A checking fork is forcing, but you must still check whether the knight can be captured.
The pin and skewer
A pinned piece shields something valuable behind it. In an absolute pin, moving the piece would expose the king and is illegal. A skewer attacks the more valuable piece first, aiming to capture what lies behind it after it moves.
Calculate the reply
Look for checks, captures and threats. After your candidate move, find the opponent’s best defence and your follow-up. An attractive pattern is not proof that the combination works.
Try it yourself
White: Kf3, Nc1. Black: Kd2, Rc5. White to move. Find the fork.
Check the answer
1. Nb3+ attacks the king on d2 and rook on c5. After the king moves, White can capture the rook if no new defence prevents it.
Put it into practice
Open the related lesson Practise with puzzles
Sources and corrections
For the official rules, see the FIDE Laws of Chess. Found an error? Send the position and page address.