Watch
Step 1 · The pin
White to move
rnbqkb1r/ppp2ppp/4pn2/3p4/2PP4/2N5/PP2PPPP/R1BQKBNR w KQkq - 2 44.Bg5. The bishop pins the knight to the queen: if the knight moves, the queen is lost. The knight on f6 was a defender of d5, and a pinned defender is only half a defender. The pin is a promise: it pays when the position is ready.
The line: 4.Bc1-g5
Watch
Step 2 · A second guard
Black to move
rnbqkb1r/ppp2ppp/4pn2/3p2B1/2PP4/2N5/PP2PPPP/R2QKBNR b KQkq - 3 4Black develops the other knight to d7. It defends f6, so the pinned knight is not alone. It also sets a trap.
The reply: 4…Nb8-d7
Your move
Step 3 · Is d5 free?
White to move
r1bqkb1r/pppn1ppp/5n2/3p2B1/3P4/2N5/PP2PPPP/R2QKBNR w KQkq - 0 6You exchanged on d5 and Black recaptured with the e-pawn. d5 is attacked by your knight and defended by a pinned knight. Is it a free pawn?
Hint: d5 is a trap: Nxd5 Nxd5 Bxd8 Bb4+. Play a developing move and keep the pin.
The move: 6.e2-e3
6.e3. Quietly correct. The pawn was poisoned: Nxd5? Nxd5! Bxd8 Bb4+ and Black wins two pieces for the queen, then takes the bishop on d8. Build first; the pin keeps.
Also good here
6.Ng1-f3— Also fine: developing; the pin keeps.6.Qd1-c2— Also good: the queen eyes the h7 diagonal and guards c3.
Why not another move?
6.Nc3xd5— The famous trap: …Nxd5! Bxd8 Bb4+ Qd2 Bxd2+ Kxd2 Kxd8, and when the dust settles Black is a piece up for a pawn. The pinned knight moved with a threat of its own. What follows:6…Nf6xd5 7.Bg5xd8 Bf8-b4 8.Qd1-d2 Bb4xd2 9.Ke1xd2 Ke8xd86.Bg5xf6— …Nxf6 and you have given up the bishop pair for nothing; the pin was worth more than the knight.
Watch
Step 4 · The pin is broken
Black to move
r1bqkb1r/pppn1ppp/5n2/3p2B1/3P4/2N1P3/PP3PPP/R2QKBNR b KQkq - 0 6Black breaks the pin with …Be7. The bishop on e7 now shields the queen. Your pin has done its job: Black spent a move on it.
The reply: 6…Bf8-e7
Your move
Step 5 · Keep the bishop
White to move
r1bqk2r/pppnbppp/5n2/3p2B1/3P4/2N1P3/PP3PPP/R2QKBNR w KQkq - 1 7The pin is broken, but the bishop on g5 still watches f6. Do not trade it off for nothing. Develop.
Hint: Keep the bishop on g5 and develop something else.
The move: 7.Bf1-d3
7.Bd3. The bishop takes the b1–h7 diagonal, the king will castle, and the g5 bishop stays, keeping f6 under watch. Black’s knight on d7 must keep guarding it.
Also good here
7.Ng1-f3— Also fine: the knight develops; Bd3 next.7.Qd1-c2— Also good: the queen goes to c2, aiming at h7 once the bishop reaches d3.
Why not another move?
7.Bg5xf6— …Nxf6 and your bishop is gone for a knight that was going nowhere. The pin was an asset; trading it away hands the asset back.
Your move
Step 6 · The knight leaves the pin
White to move
rnbqkb1r/ppp2ppp/4p3/3p2B1/2PPn3/2N5/PP2PPPP/R2QKBNR w KQkq - 4 5Rewind: this time Black jumped the pinned knight to e4, attacking your bishop and your knight. The bishop on g5 now looks straight at the queen on d8. Look at what the pin promised.
Hint: The knight on e4 left the queen on d8 on an open diagonal. Look at your bishop.
The move: 5.Bg5xd8
5.Bxd8! The knight left the pin and the queen went with it. After …Nxc3 Qd2 Kxd8 Qxc3 White has a queen against a bishop: winning.
Why not another move?
5.Nc3xe4— Playable, but only a trade: …h6 hits the bishop and …dxe4 wins the knight back. Bxd8 wins the queen. What follows:5…h7-h6 6.Bg5-h4 d5xe45.Bg5-f4— The bishop runs, and …Bb4 follows with pressure on c3. You had a queen for the taking.5.Bg5-h4— …Qxh4 takes the bishop: it walked onto the queen’s diagonal. What follows:5…Qd8xh45.c4xd5— …Nxc3 and after Qc1 f6 White cannot both save the bishop on g5 and collect the knight on c3: a piece gone. What follows:5…Ne4xc3 6.Qd1-c1 f7-f6
Decide
Step 7 · Why did it lose the queen?
White to move
rnbqkb1r/ppp2ppp/4p3/3p2B1/2PPn3/2N5/PP2PPPP/R2QKBNR w KQkq - 4 5Same board, one question.
Why did …Ne4 lose the queen?
Quick check
- The knight was pinned: it stood between the bishop and the queen
- Because Nxe4 wins the knight
- Because Black can no longer castle
Show the correct answer
Correct answer: The knight was pinned: it stood between the bishop and the queen — Yes. The knight on f6 stood between the bishop and the queen. Moving it opened the line, and Bxd8 took what the pin had promised.
- Because Nxe4 wins the knight — No: Nxe4 dxe4 is only a trade, since Bxd8 is met by …Bb4+ and Black wins the queen back. The point is Bxd8 at once.
- Because Black can no longer castle — Castling has nothing to do with it. The queen was left facing the bishop on an open diagonal.
On your own
Step 8 · On your own
White to move
rnbqk2r/ppp2ppp/4pn2/3p4/1bPP4/2N2N2/PP2PPPP/R1BQKB1R w KQkq - 4 5A different move order: you played Nf3 and Black pinned your knight with …Bb4, the Ragozin. Your bishop on c1 has not moved. Choose a plan.
Hint: Black pinned your knight. Pin back with a developing move.
The move: 5.Bc1-g5
5.Bg5. Your own pin: the f6 knight is tied to the queen and d5 has one defender fewer. Both sides now have a pin; yours came with development.
Also good here
5.Qd1-a4— Also good: the check picks up a tempo and the queen eyes the bishop on b4.5.Qd1-b3— Also fine: the queen hits the bishop on b4 and backs up the knight on c3.5.e2-e3— Also fine: solid development, though the pawn on e3 takes g5 away from the c1 bishop.5.c4xd5— Also fine: exchanging first, then Bg5 or Bf4.
Why not another move?
5.a2-a3— Playable, but …Bxc3+ bxc3 doubles your pawns for nothing gained; your bishop was the piece to develop.5.Bc1-d2— Playable, but passive: the bishop on d2 pins nothing and blocks the queen. g5 is the square.
A quick refresher
In the app this position is not part of the lesson itself: it comes back later, as a review, to check that the idea stuck.
Your move
The pin is challenged
White to move
rnbq1rk1/ppp1bpp1/4pn1p/3p2B1/2PP4/2N1PN2/PP3PPP/R2QKB1R w KQ - 0 7…h6 asks the bishop what it wants. Keep the tension or trade, but do not lose the bishop.
Hint: The bishop is attacked. Retreat along the pin or trade; do not leave it.
The move: 7.Bg5-h4
7.Bh4. The bishop keeps the pressure on f6, and Black has spent a move on …h6 that slightly loosens the king.
Also good here
7.Bg5xf6— Also good: Bxf6 Bxf6 trades the pin for a knight and leaves Black’s bishop on f6 biting on d4. A fair choice.7.Bg5-f4— Also fine: the bishop keeps a diagonal and eyes c7.
Why not another move?
7.h2-h4— …hxg5 hxg5 Ne4 and the bishop is gone for a pawn. The open h-file gives some play, but not a bishop’s worth. What follows:7…h6xg5 8.h4xg57.Bg5xh6— …gxh6: a bishop for a pawn. The king’s cover is torn, but you have no attackers ready to use it. What follows:7…g7xh67.c4xd5— …hxg5 and the bishop is lost: two pawns for a piece is not enough. What follows:7…h6xg5
What you learned
Pin first, then build. Nxd5 only works when …Bb4+ is not coming.
In your next game
After 1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Nf6 play Bg5. Do not take on d5 while Black has …Bb4+; play e3, Bd3 and Nf3. If Black plays …Ne4 and steps out of the pin, take the queen.