What is a relative pin in chess?

A relative pin is a tactic in which a long-range piece attacks an enemy piece in front of a more valuable piece behind it that is not the king. The pinned piece can legally move, but doing so surrenders the higher-value piece behind it, which is disadvantageous most of the time.

The white rook pins the black knight to the queen. Moving the knight would lose the black queen. Engine-verified position, Elo 450.

How do you create a relative pin?

Look for two enemy pieces on the same rank, file, or diagonal where the nearer one is less valuable. Land your queen, rook, or bishop on that line to create the pin. Before you commit, make sure the landing square is safe. If your opponent can immediately capture your pinning piece, the pin collapses and you lose material.

The white rook steps onto the file shared by the black bishop and queen behind it, creating a relative pin on the bishop against its queen.

How do you defend against a relative pin?

You have a few options:

• Move the valuable piece off the line so the pin disappears.
• Block by placing a piece between the pinning piece and the pinned piece, or between the pinned piece and the target behind it.
• Break the pin by moving the pinned piece if you can create a more pressing threat.
• Capture or drive away the pinning piece.

Black's bishop is pinned to the rook behind it, but dissolves the pin by moving to create an even bigger threat: a pin on the enemy queen.

What makes a relative pin different from an absolute pin?

In an absolute pin, the piece behind the pinned piece is the king. Moving the pinned piece is illegal. In a relative pin, the piece behind is something valuable, but not the king, so the pinned piece can legally move. But moving it surrenders the piece behind it. Because the pin isn't enforced by the rules, your opponent can always break it if they find a bigger threat.

The rook steps onto the file, pinning the black knight to the rook behind it. Engine-verified position, Elo 1248.

See it in action

Example 1: A relative pin with a bishop

Create a relative pin.

Solution: The white bishop steps one square diagonally to pin the black knight on the central square against the black knight behind it.

Example 2: Relative pin on the knight

Find the pin.

Solution: The white bishop moves diagonally to create a relative pin on the black knight against the black rook.

Example 3: Exploiting a pin

Exploit the pin.

Solution: Black's bishop captures the pinned white knight, exploiting the relative pin.

Frequently asked questions

Can a relatively pinned piece still give check?

Yes. A piece pinned by a relative pin still controls the squares it attacks, and prevents the enemy king from moving onto those squares.

Can a knight create a relative pin?

No. Only long-range pieces (rooks, bishops, and queens) can create relative pins. A pin requires one piece to look through another along a straight line, and the knight does not move in straight lines.

Is a relative pin weaker than an absolute pin?

It is generally less forcing. An absolute pin is enforced by the rules of chess. A relative pin is enforced only by material logic. Your opponent can choose to break a relative pin if they find compensation elsewhere. But a well-timed relative pin is still advantageous in most positions, and may lead to winning material.