10 skewers rated between 1200 and 1399, averaging 1315. Each position below is from a real game, with the solution given underneath — so you can check yourself immediately rather than guessing whether you were right.
A skewer is a pin turned around: the valuable piece is in front, and when it moves the piece behind it falls. Skewers usually appear on open lines and long diagonals, which is why they are far more common in the endgame than in the opening.
These are pitched at beginners. Puzzle ratings work like player ratings: a puzzle rated 1200 is one that players around 1200 solve about half the time, so if you are getting most of these you should move up a band.
Solving from a page is good for pattern recognition but not for tracking progress. The rated puzzle trainer serves puzzles matched to your own rating and adjusts as you solve, and the Mistake Trainer builds puzzles from positions you actually got wrong in your own games.
d4+ Kc5 Qxa8
Rxe5 Kxe5 Re7+ Kf6 Rxe2
Qxh6 f6 Qh8+ Kf7 Qxb8
Rxc3+ Kxc3 Bd4+ Kc2 Bxa1
Re8+ Kd2 Rf2+ Kc1 Rxc2+
Qh7+ Kf7 Bg6+ Ke7 Bxe8
Bb5+ Kc2 Bxf1
Rh5+ Kxg4 Rxa5
Bg4+ Kf6 Bxd7
Bd4+ Kg6 Bxh8
Train skewer puzzles at your rating →
A skewer is a pin turned around: the valuable piece is in front, and when it moves the piece behind it falls. Skewers usually appear on open lines and long diagonals, which is why they are far more common in the endgame than in the opening.
Puzzle ratings work like player ratings. A puzzle rated 1200 is one that players rated around 1200 solve roughly half the time. The puzzles on this page average 1315, so they suit beginners.
Yes. Every puzzle on this page, including its solution, is free to view with no account. The rated trainer that tracks your progress and serves puzzles matched to your rating is part of Chess Ramp Premium.