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Chess pin puzzles

A pin attacks a piece that cannot move without exposing a more valuable piece behind it.

If the piece behind is the king, the pinned piece is not allowed to move at all. Pile up on a pinned piece: it cannot run, so attack it again, often with a pawn.

8 real puzzles from games on Lichess, easiest first, rated 611 to 2676. The course has 763 pins puzzles in all.

Puzzle 1 · rated 611

♚♟♟♜♟♟♞♞♛♖♗♘♙♙♙♙♙♔

Black just played Rxf7. White to move.

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23. Rd8+ Ne8 24. Rxe8#

Puzzle 2 · rated 1174

♔♘♖♛♙♙♙♙♕♙♙♟♟♟♟♟♟♗♞♚♝♜

White just played Qf3. Black to move.

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14... Qg1+ 15. Ke2 Bg4 16. Qxg4 Qxg4+

Puzzle 3 · rated 1450

♖♟♟♞♟♚♛♙♖♙♙♙♔

Black just played Kg6. White to move.

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30. Rg8+ Kf5 31. Rf3 Qxf3 32. gxf3

Puzzle 4 · rated 1726

♜♚♟♟♜♟♛♟♞♕♗♝♝♗♙♙♙♙♙♙♖♖♔

Black just played Bh5. White to move.

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19. Qxg7#

Puzzle 5 · rated 1976

♔♖♙♙♙♙♗♙♟♟♜♟♟♟♚♟

White just played Rb1. Black to move.

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27... c2 28. Rc1 Rb5 29. Kf1 Rb1 30. Ke1 Rxc1+

Puzzle 6 · rated 2181

♕♛♟♟♚♝♙♟♖♟♟♙♙♜♙♔

Black just played Ra2. White to move.

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45. Qh8+ Qh7 46. Rxg6+ Kxg6 47. Qf6#

Puzzle 7 · rated 2406

♔♘♖♙♙♙♙♙♟♕♝♟♝♟♟♚♜♜

White just played f4. Black to move.

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24... d3+ 25. Kg2 Rf5 26. Qe4 Bd5

Puzzle 8 · rated 2676

♚♜♜♟♟♟♛♟♟♟♟♝♙♙♙♙♔♕♗♙♖♖

Black just played Qe7. White to move.

Solve it on the board

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21. a5 Rde8 22. axb6 Qxe4 23. bxc7+ Bxc7 24. Qb5+ Bb6 25. Rxa7 Qe3+ 26. Rc3

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Puzzles from the Lichess puzzle database (CC0). Every line was replayed move by move by the course's rules engine. Part of Chess Path, a free chess course. Free coach for your Chess.com and Lichess games.