Skewer Chess Puzzles — Rated 1600

10 skewers rated between 1600 and 1799, averaging 1665. 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 1600-rated players. Puzzle ratings work like player ratings: a puzzle rated 1600 is one that players around 1600 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 1600

  1. Skewer puzzle 1, rated 1656h1g2f3e4d5c6b7a8
    Puzzle 1 · rated 1656 · Black to play after Ke4
    Show solution

    Bc6+ Kf5 Rd5+ Ke6 Rxh5

  2. Skewer puzzle 2, rated 1667a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
    Puzzle 2 · rated 1667 · White to play after Kf5
    Show solution

    Qd7+ Kg6 Qxh3

  3. Skewer puzzle 3, rated 1612a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
    Puzzle 3 · rated 1612 · White to play after axb3
    Show solution

    Rg3+ Kf8 Qh6+ Ke8 Rg8+ Kd7 Rxd8+

  4. Skewer puzzle 4, rated 1615h1g2f3e4d5c6b7a8
    Puzzle 4 · rated 1615 · Black to play after Rg6
    Show solution

    Rh1+ Kg3 Rg1+ Kf2 Rxg6

  5. Skewer puzzle 5, rated 1644h1g2f3e4d5c6b7a8
    Puzzle 5 · rated 1644 · Black to play after Nb5
    Show solution

    Qh2 f3 Qh1+ Kf2 Qxa1

  6. Skewer puzzle 6, rated 1721h1g2f3e4d5c6b7a8
    Puzzle 6 · rated 1721 · Black to play after Rb7+
    Show solution

    Ke8 Rxb2 Rh2+ Ke3 Rxb2

  7. Skewer puzzle 7, rated 1650h1g2f3e4d5c6b7a8
    Puzzle 7 · rated 1650 · Black to play after g3
    Show solution

    Rxd6 Rxe2 Re6+ Kd4 Rxe2

  8. Skewer puzzle 8, rated 1650h1g2f3e4d5c6b7a8
    Puzzle 8 · rated 1650 · Black to play after b7
    Show solution

    Qh1+ Kf2 Qxh2+ Ke3 Qxb2

  9. Skewer puzzle 9, rated 1748h1g2f3e4d5c6b7a8
    Puzzle 9 · rated 1748 · Black to play after Ke2
    Show solution

    Rxf2+ Kxf2 Qh2+ Ke1 Qxc2

  10. Skewer puzzle 10, rated 1684h1g2f3e4d5c6b7a8
    Puzzle 10 · rated 1684 · Black to play after g4
    Show solution

    Qh1+ Ke2 Qxd5

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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 1600 mean?

Puzzle ratings work like player ratings. A puzzle rated 1600 is one that players rated around 1600 solve roughly half the time. The puzzles on this page average 1665, so they suit 1600-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.