Pin exercises

A piece cannot move because something more valuable sits behind it. Play the winning move on the board below. Each position is verified: the solution is the strongest move, and the write-up tells you exactly what it wins. Read the full pin guide first if the pattern is new to you.

Solved 0 of 5 · first-try accuracy 0%

1. Exercise 1: White to play: win material.

   Position (FEN): 5K2/B4Q1P/8/1pRqrk2/8/8/8/8 w - - 0 1

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   White to play: win material.

   easy · wins ~12 pawns

   Hint 1Show solution
   Written solution

   Rxd5+ — Rxd5+ wins about 12 pawns of material by force: the rook hits e5, b5 and Black cannot cover everything. The next best try, Qxd5, leaves the position roughly level.

2. Exercise 2: White to play: win material.

   Position (FEN): b7/4P3/3k4/4p3/1q2r1p1/5P2/6K1/8 w - - 0 1

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   White to play: win material.

   easy · wins ~7 pawns

   Hint 1Show solution
   Written solution

   e8=Q — e8=Q wins about 7 pawns of material by force: the pawn hits a8, e5 and Black cannot cover everything. The next best try, e8=N+, leaves the position roughly level.

3. Exercise 3: White to play: win material.

   Position (FEN): 8/8/2Q5/8/2K5/1rpr2Q1/2n3N1/1k6 w - - 0 1

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   White to play: win material.

   medium · wins ~5 pawns

   Hint 1Show solution
   Written solution

   Qxd3 — Qxd3 wins about 5 pawns of material by force: the queen hits c2, c3 and Black cannot cover everything. The next best try, Qe5, leaves the position roughly level.

4. Exercise 4: White to play: win material.

   Position (FEN): 3k4/8/1K1n4/3b4/3Q4/1R6/8/8 w - - 0 1

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   White to play: win material.

   medium · wins ~3.2 pawns

   Hint 1Show solution
   Written solution

   Qxd5 — Qxd5 wins about 3.2 pawns of material by force: the queen hits d6 and Black cannot cover everything. The next best try, Qf6+, leaves the position roughly level.

5. Exercise 5: White to play: win material.

   Position (FEN): 8/2R5/1Kp5/4n3/6p1/8/8/4k3 w - - 0 1

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   White to play: win material.

   hard · wins ~3 pawns

   Hint 1Show solution
   Written solution

   Re7 — Re7 wins about 3 pawns of material by force: the rook hits e5 and Black cannot cover everything. The next best try, Rc8, leaves the position roughly level.