Pretty Pizzazzy Pin Positions

Welcome to Pinlandia!  The following puzzles are really fun pin positions care of Mrs Jessica E Prescott (aka BoundingOwl). Some will be absolute and some will be relative pins.  Remember that you don't often capture the pinned piece, instead you "exploit" it.  Like, you get to laugh at it for being stuck there while you move a different piece.  A good quote to think on is, "A pinned piece does not protect!"

1. This first is a game between Capablanca and Alekhine in 1927.  Both players were World Champions (at different times).  Have you ever seen a game with 4 queens??  Try to find a mate in two.  The first move is a forcing check.

2. Here we can see a pin already in place.  The white bishop pins the black bishop on e5. However, it might not last long, right?  If white does not make a forcing move (check, threat, or capture) then the pin goes bye-bye.  Do you see how white can exploit the pin, and make another pin using his rook?

3.  Check this out!  Black is doomed because of the placement of his queen and king.  White plays a really fun sacrifice and line clearing move to prepare for a deadly pin.  Do you see it?

(By the way, if black does not accept the sacrifice, and plays Nex4 instead, you have another trick.   Play Ncd5 and now if they take on b6, you pin, then fork.  A family fork!!  Try the next puzzle!)

 

Did you see all that?  Hmmm...

4.  Here, because white's queen is undefended and black has the relative pin already (through the white knight), black has a nice combo.  Look for checks!

 

5.  Pinned forever?  How do you escape from a pin?  Again, forcing moves.  If you just make any old move your opponent will not let you free.  But if you say CHECK! You might get liberated (freed)!  Try to escape by making two checks in a row, then you can capture the queen!

Excellent!  I hope you found these pins as awesome as I did.  Have fun pinning, and don't forget to pp on the pp when you can!