Skewer Chess Puzzles — Rated 1800

10 skewers rated between 1800 and 1999, averaging 1869. 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 1800-rated players. Puzzle ratings work like player ratings: a puzzle rated 1800 is one that players around 1800 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 1800

  1. Skewer puzzle 1, rated 1841h1g2f3e4d5c6b7a8
    Puzzle 1 · rated 1841 · Black to play after Nxe5
    Show solution

    fxe5+ Ke3 Rf3+ Kd2 Rxb3

  2. Skewer puzzle 2, rated 1844a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
    Puzzle 2 · rated 1844 · White to play after Qxa4
    Show solution

    Qe7+ Kc6 Qe8+ Kxd6 Qxa4

  3. Skewer puzzle 3, rated 1900h1g2f3e4d5c6b7a8
    Puzzle 3 · rated 1900 · Black to play after Kh4
    Show solution

    Rh5+ Kg3 Rh3+ Kf2 Rxc3

  4. Skewer puzzle 4, rated 1860a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
    Puzzle 4 · rated 1860 · White to play after Kh5
    Show solution

    g4+ Kh4 Qh6+ Kxg4 Qxh1

  5. Skewer puzzle 5, rated 1814h1g2f3e4d5c6b7a8
    Puzzle 5 · rated 1814 · Black to play after Kf2
    Show solution

    Rxg1 Kxg1 Rh8 Nc3 Rh1+ Kf2 Rxa1

  6. Skewer puzzle 6, rated 1859a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
    Puzzle 6 · rated 1859 · White to play after Kd6
    Show solution

    Qe7+ Kd5 Qd7+ Kc5 Qxd2

  7. Skewer puzzle 7, rated 1958h1g2f3e4d5c6b7a8
    Puzzle 7 · rated 1958 · Black to play after Kc2
    Show solution

    Ra1 Rxg2 Ra2+ Kd3 Rxg2

  8. Skewer puzzle 8, rated 1858h1g2f3e4d5c6b7a8
    Puzzle 8 · rated 1858 · Black to play after Kc3
    Show solution

    Rc8+ Kd3 Rb3+ Ke2 Rc2+ Kf1 Rxh2

  9. Skewer puzzle 9, rated 1957a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
    Puzzle 9 · rated 1957 · White to play after Bxd5
    Show solution

    Qf5+ Ke7 Bg5+ Kf8 Bxd8

  10. Skewer puzzle 10, rated 1802a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
    Puzzle 10 · rated 1802 · White to play after Kd7
    Show solution

    Qc7+ Ke8 Qc8+ Qxc8 Rxc8+ Ke7 Rxh8

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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 1800 mean?

Puzzle ratings work like player ratings. A puzzle rated 1800 is one that players rated around 1800 solve roughly half the time. The puzzles on this page average 1869, so they suit 1800-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.