Pressure?

Here is what is probably a dumb question. What exactly does someone mean when talking about putting pressure on a piece in chess. Does it mean attacking a piece with a rook/queen/bishop (because of their lateral, 'skewing' style of movement) or does it mean applying multiple attacks with any sort of pieces?

I've heard this term used a lot but I'm not 100% sure what it means.

i would assume that 'applying pressure' would refer to all the following:

• attacking a piece
• pinning a piece
• skewering a piece
• forking a piece
• creating a battery on a piece

I'm in no way an expert on chess terms, so take this with a grain of salt.

To me, the term always meant forcing the opponent to either move other pieces to defend the pressured piece, thereby decreasing the mobility/quality of positioning of those other pieces, or forcing him to move the pressured piece away.

i just consider that a forced move (which can come about from applying pressure by the ways i listed above).

Applying pressure means putting a square, line, rank or diagonal under attack. Putting pressure does not always mean you win the battle of that square, line, rank or diagonal but only means you are increasing control over it and maybe later because of a combination your pressure might add up to total control and by that winning you a piece sometimes or control over a critical line or diagonal.

Pressure is a critical part of chess strategy, and is many times overlooked by beginners. If all your pieces are applying pressure to a piece or square, your opponents will many times have to respond by adding pieces to its defense. You have control over that pressurized piece or square. You also have more freedom, as you can release the pressure by moving pieces away from that square, while your opponent many times can't afford to release any of its defense. Pins are especially useful for applying pressure, as the opponent can't remove the piece from the firing line. In short, pressure, like a heavy backpack, bogs down your opponents pieces, and will many times hand you the initiative.