Skewer Chess Puzzles — Rated 1400

10 skewers rated between 1400 and 1599, averaging 1451. 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 1400-rated players. Puzzle ratings work like player ratings: a puzzle rated 1400 is one that players around 1400 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.

Skewer puzzles rated 1400

  1. Skewer puzzle 1, rated 1409h1g2f3e4d5c6b7a8
    Puzzle 1 · rated 1409 · Black to play after Qxc5
    Show solution

    Rd1+ Kc2 R8d2+ Kc3 Rc1+ Kxd2 Rxc5

  2. Skewer puzzle 2, rated 1427h1g2f3e4d5c6b7a8
    Puzzle 2 · rated 1427 · Black to play after Rg8+
    Show solution

    Kf6 Ke8 Ra8+ Kd7 Rxg8

  3. Skewer puzzle 3, rated 1406h1g2f3e4d5c6b7a8
    Puzzle 3 · rated 1406 · Black to play after Rf2
    Show solution

    Rxh4 Rf3 Rh1+ Kf2 Rxd1 Rxd1 Nh5

  4. Skewer puzzle 4, rated 1499h1g2f3e4d5c6b7a8
    Puzzle 4 · rated 1499 · Black to play after Ke4
    Show solution

    Rd3 Rxd3 cxd3 a7 d1=Q a8=Q Qh1+ Ke3 Qxa8

  5. Skewer puzzle 5, rated 1401a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
    Puzzle 5 · rated 1401 · White to play after Kd5
    Show solution

    Qg8+ Kd6 Qxc4

  6. Skewer puzzle 6, rated 1440a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
    Puzzle 6 · rated 1440 · White to play after Qe1+
    Show solution

    Rxe1 Rxe1+ Kh2 Be5+ Qxe5 Rxe5 Ra8+ Kf7 Rf8+ Ke6 Rxf2

  7. Skewer puzzle 7, rated 1400a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
    Puzzle 7 · rated 1400 · White to play after Kd5
    Show solution

    Bc6+ Ke5 Bxg2

  8. Skewer puzzle 8, rated 1552h1g2f3e4d5c6b7a8
    Puzzle 8 · rated 1552 · Black to play after Rd7
    Show solution

    Bb4+ Kd3 Rd2+ Ke4 Rxd7

  9. Skewer puzzle 9, rated 1414a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
    Puzzle 9 · rated 1414 · White to play after Kf8
    Show solution

    Rc8+ Ke7 Re8+ Kxd7 Rxe1

  10. Skewer puzzle 10, rated 1558a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
    Puzzle 10 · rated 1558 · White to play after Bxd5
    Show solution

    Rc1+ Kd7 Rc7+ Ke8 Rxe7+

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Frequently asked questions

What is a skewer in chess?

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.

What does a puzzle rating of 1400 mean?

Puzzle ratings work like player ratings. A puzzle rated 1400 is one that players rated around 1400 solve roughly half the time. The puzzles on this page average 1451, so they suit 1400-rated players.

Are these skewer puzzles free?

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.