Chess Tactical Motifs - The Pin
The pin is a very common motif - occurring in one form or another during most chess games. A pin occurs when a piece is held in place (ie "pinned" in place) and can't move without giving up a more valuable piece behind it.
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Consider the example to the right. White can play 1. Re1, pinning the black Queen to the black King. The black Queen can't move out of the way, because this would place the King in check. If black captures the white Rook - 1... Qxe1 - white can recapture, 2. Qxe1+. White wins a Queen for a Rook.
When a piece is pinned to the King, it is called an absolute pin.
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When a piece is pinned, it is often vulnerable to attack. In the diagram to the right, the black Knight on c6 is stuck in an absolute pin. White could play 1. Bxc6+ bxc6, trading Bishop for Knight. However, this is an even trade.
White has a better option. By playing 1. d5, he attacks the black Knight with a pawn. Because the Knight is in an absolute pin, it can't move!. Black can break the pin by playing 1... Bd7, but then 2. dxc6 bxc6 wins a Knight for a Pawn.
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In this final example, white has the crushing pin 1. Re1. The black Bishop is pinned to the black Rook. White is attacking the Bishop twice (once with his Rook, once with his Knight). If black responds by moving his Bishop, the Rook on e8 falls (ie 1... Bd6 2. Rxe8). If black moves his Rook, the Bishop on e5 falls (ie 1... Rd8 2. Rxe5). Any other black move, and the Bishop will also fall, because it is attacked twice (ie 1... Kg8 2.Rxe5 Rxe5 3.Nxe5)
When a piece is pinned to another piece of greater value (but not the King), it is called a relative pin.
The next page will present a mix of pin problems to work on.