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Basic Tactics

The Pin - Relative Pins

Examine the board below:

The White Knight is caught in a relative pin. It is legal for the Knight to move, but if it were to do so, the Black Bishop could capture the White Queen. Of course, White could follow up by capturing the Black Bishop, but this would be a losing exchange (giving up a Queen in return for a Bishop is a relative loss of 6 points of material). Click here for a demonstration.

Examine the board below:

The White Bishop is caught in a relative pin. It is legal for the Bishop to move, but if it were to do so, the Black Queen could capture the White Rook, and White has then lost 5 points of material for nothing in return. Click here for a demonstration.

Examine the board below:

Is the White Knight caught in a relative pin? Well, sort of. This position certainly has the form of a pin, but White can move the Knight without fear if White plays 1. Nd4! It’s true that Black can follow this with 1... Bxc2, but then White could simply play 2. Nxc2! and White nets 2 points of material. Click here for a demonstration.

Examine the board below:

Is the White Knight caught in a relative pin? Well, sort of. This position certainly has the form of a pin, but White can move the Knight without fear if White plays Nxe6! It’s true that Black can follow this with ... Bxe3, but the exchange of a Rook in return for a Queen nets White 4 points of material. Click here for a demonstration.

As you can see, a pin is “relative” if it involves a piece being pinned to another piece of the same color, so that some (or all) of the former piece’s potential moves would expose the latter piece to an undesirable capture and / or losing exchange of material.

Next: The Skewer