The Relative Pin: A Deadly Choice

A Relative Pin occurs when a piece shields a valuable target—like a Queen or Rook—rather than the King. Unlike an absolute pin, the pinned piece can legally move, but doing so often leads to material disaster. This guide explains how to use relative pins to paralyze your opponent's army and force them into agonizing decisions.

Relative Pin Examples

A relative pin occurs when a piece is restricted because moving it would expose something valuable behind it, such as a queen, rook, or important square — but not the king. Unlike absolute pins, relative pins allow movement at a cost, which makes evaluating consequences critical. The examples below show how relative pins are created, exploited, and sometimes deliberately broken.