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Real positions. Quiet practice.

Printable Skewer Puzzles

Real positions from rated games. Narrow them by motif, difficulty or rating, then solve or print each one.

Printable worksheet

12 skewer puzzles, every difficulty, with answer key

A skewer is a pin reversed: the more valuable piece stands in front and must move, exposing the piece behind it to capture. King-and-rook skewers decide countless endgames.

Solve these online instead Customise: pick difficulty, count and paper size

Positions come from real rated games. The answer key prints on the last page.

Skewer — chess puzzle worksheet Name: ______________   Date: ______________
♜♚
♟♖
♟♟
♙♟♟
♙♞♟
♔
♙
♗
#1 · white to move · rating 602
♟♖
♟♟♚
♙
♙♙♔
♙
♜
#2 · black to move · rating 798
♟
♟
♖♔♚
♙♜
♙♙♙
#3 · black to move · rating 926
♜♚
♟♙♖
♔♙
♝
#4 · white to move · rating 1054
♚
♝♙
♗
♙♜
♔♙
♙
♖
#5 · black to move · rating 1221
♚
♕♙♟
♟♟
♔♙
♙
♛♙
#6 · black to move · rating 1377
♙♚
♔♟♙
♜
♟
♖
#7 · black to move · rating 1555
♜♚♜
♟♟♟♟♟♟
♟♛
♝
♙♝
♙♙
♙♙♙♕♙
♖♘♗♔♗♖
#8 · black to move · rating 1751
♜
♖♝♟
♚♞
♟♟
♙
♙♖♗♙♙
♜♙♔
#9 · white to move · rating 1979
♟♖
♟♗♚♟
♙♞
♙
♙♘♔
♙♜
♜
#10 · white to move · rating 2222
♜♞♚♝♜
♟♕♟♟♟
♟♞
♛♘
♙
♙♙♙♙♙
♖♘♗♔♖
#11 · black to move · rating 2499
♜♚
♟♛♟
♜♝♗
♝
♗♙♕
♙♙♖♙♙
♔♖
#12 · black to move · rating 2792

Answer key

  1. #1 (puzzle 03fGd): Rh8+ → Ke7 → Rxa8
  2. #2 (puzzle 0lT1H): Rf1+ → Ke5 → Rxf7
  3. #3 (puzzle 0EaNA): Rg4+ → Kf3 → Rxc4
  4. #4 (puzzle 07Fu4): Rg6+ → Kf7 → Rxc6
  5. #5 (puzzle 044fo): Bxa4+ → Ka3 → Bxd1
  6. #6 (puzzle 0QeWq): Qa2+ → Kd3 → Qxe6
  7. #7 (puzzle 0OPUt): e2 → d8=Q → Rd4+ → Kc7 → Rxd8
  8. #8 (puzzle 0FA24): Bf3 → Qd2 → Bxh1
  9. #9 (puzzle 0HENX): Ra6+ → Kd7 → Rxh6
  10. #10 (puzzle 0iNJp): Nc5+ → Ke5 → Re7+ → Kd5 → Rd7+ → Kc6 → Rxd2
  11. #11 (puzzle 0iA80): Qxc1+ → Ke2 → Qxh1 → Nc6 → Nxc6
  12. #12 (puzzle 0SOyp): Rxb3 → axb3 → Qa5 → Rd5 → Qa1+ → Kd2 → Qxh1 → Qh3 → Qxh3

Positions from real rated games (CC0 data).