Is this a Pin? or a Skewer? What is this called really?

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Avatar of Iam2busy

What is this position called? It isn't a pin or a skewer because the Knight is equal in value to the Bishop, so what is this? Thanks

Avatar of MrKornKid

I'd say neither.  Just a couple of hanging pieces.

 

Avatar of TalSpin

MrKornKid wrote:

I'd say neither.  Just a couple of hanging pieces.

 

Exactly. If black's king was on d5, I guess you could say the bishop was pinned.

Avatar of Iam2busy

So...I'm still confused. I know it isn't a pin or a skewer, but I'm not sure what it is called.

Avatar of KholmovDM

It's definitely not a pin, because either the knight or the bishop can move freely.  It's not a skewer either, since a bishop and a knight are of equal value. 

Avatar of ilikewindmills
It's a double attack.
Avatar of zeus3101
MrKornKid wrote:

I'd say neither.  Just a couple of hanging pieces.

 

It is exactly that

Avatar of Martin_Stahl
KholmovDM wrote:

It's definitely not a pin, because either the knight or the bishop can move freely.  It's not a skewer either, since a bishop and a knight are of equal value. 

 

That doesn't mean it's not a pin. A pin can be absolute, a piece pinned to the king, or relative, pinned to another piece, or I guess potentially a square. In a relative pin, the pinned piece is usually considered the less valuable one.

 

Post 9 has it right. Both pieces can save themselves in this position with black to move. Bc3+ or Bg3+ and then save the knight.

Avatar of Gomer_Pyle

A pin is when a low valued piece is under attack but will expose a higher valued piece if moved.

A skewer is when a high valued piece is under attack but will expose a lower valued piece if moved.

This position is just two pieces being attacked. Maybe it could be called an x-ray attack but it isn't properly a pin or skewer.

Avatar of Pilchuck

I agree with Gomer, if anything, it's an x-ray attack on the knight. Tactically, as others have noted, the attack is defeated by checking with the bishop.

Avatar of johnyoudell

We will call it a kebab.

Avatar of Optimissed

Maybe a cannonade. happy.png It's a brand of lemonade. In a tin, of course.

Avatar of Iam2busy

So it's a x-ray attack?

Avatar of BronsteinPawn

Give up on Chess

Avatar of BronsteinPawn

Is this a name all the tactical motifs challenge or something?

Avatar of Nilocra_the_White

Interesting comments. Does anyone have an opinion on whether this is a win, loss or draw for white. Also everyone seems to assume it is black to move. If it is white to move then it is a straight taking of an unprotected piece where white takes the bishop (maybe called miss-coordinated pieces), then a double attack on the knight and king, then when the knight interposes, it is a pin. 

 

Avatar of Dale

It looks like it is both a pin and a skewer.

Avatar of Martin_Stahl
Nilocra_the_White wrote:

Interesting comments. Does anyone have an opinion on whether this is a win, loss or draw for white. Also everyone seems to assume it is black to move. If it is white to move then it is a straight taking of an unprotected piece where white takes the bishop (maybe called miss-coordinated pieces), then a double attack on the knight and king, then when the knight interposes, it is a pin. 

 

 

For white to move then it is just a free piece happy.png

Avatar of blueemu
johnyoudell wrote:

We will call it a kebab.

This.

 

Avatar of Ziryab

It is an ineffective skewer, also known as a kebab. You can look it up in Gioachino Greco's Glossary of Chess Terms (1626). Unfortunately, all copies of this classic text have disappeared. Consequently, chess masters have spent centuries trying to relearn what Greco once knew. Happily, Greco has been reincarnated with the name of Hikaru Nakamura.