Pin: a practical example
A bishop aimed through an opposing knight toward the king creates an absolute pin: a move exposing the king is illegal. A similar alignment toward a queen creates a relative pin, which may be broken if a stronger tactical result justifies it.
How to use the idea in your games
Distinguish legal restriction from practical inconvenience. A relatively pinned piece can move, and a pinned piece may still defend or attack squares in ways that matter tactically.
A useful study question
Can you explain pin in your own words, identify it in a position, and describe when the idea does not apply? Test the explanation on a legal board before relying on it.
Connect the ideas
Skewer, Bishop, Check are useful next concepts. Follow the links to compare definitions and examples, then return to the complete chess glossary whenever an unfamiliar term appears.
Sources & further reading
References checked September 5, 2026. Linked services are independent of ChessRankings.com™.