Seeing ( and remembering) pins

After analyzing a few of my recent games, I notice that I set up pins early in the game, then don't make the appropriate move 5 or 10 moves later because I fail tot notice the pinned piece. Either I fail to move to an attacking square, thinking it is defended by a pinned piece, or I release a pin accidentally.

Any tips, or do I just need to add "look for pins!" to my mental checklist?

cevans

On this same note, how important are pins to watch out for, and how crucial are they to set? I'm never sure how many precautions I should take to avoid an annoying pin that doesn't lose material right away, or how much attention I devote to setting them. The most annoying pins, I've found, are ones where I've castled kingside and my knight on f3 is pinned to my queen, and I can't move my queen to d3 to get out of the pin and also save the kingside pawn structure.

Originally posted by cevans
After analyzing a few of my recent games, I notice that I set up pins early in the game, then don't make the appropriate move 5 or 10 moves later because I fail tot notice the pinned piece. Either I fail to move to an attacking square, thinking it is defended by a pinned piece, or I release a pin accidentally.

Any tips, or do I just need to add "look for pins!" to my mental checklist?

cevans

On this site, you could use the notebook to write down your plans. But adding "look for pins!" to your mental checklist is a good idea anyway.

Study tactics. Some pins can ruin you game and force you to lose.

Have a look at the game I posted in the Chess thread under, Rahim's Chess Lessons. Notice the pin on the bishop at the end of that game.

Originally posted by vmc303
On this same note, how important are pins to watch out for, and how crucial are they to set? I'm never sure how many precautions I should take to avoid an annoying pin that doesn't lose material right away, or how much attention I devote to setting them. The most annoying pins, I've found, are ones where I've castled kingside and my knight on f3 is pinned to ...[text shortened]... can't move my queen to d3 to get out of the pin and also save the kingside pawn structure.

I'm starting to use them more, and find them to be subtle, but crucial, at my level. You can effectively immobilize a piece, taking it out of the game. A square that looks defended really isn't. At my level, they can be pretty powerful, if I could learn to use them effectively.

Wow, that is lots of moves.

If something is pinned, attack it over and over again till he can't defend it anymore.

If something is pinned, try to attack the thing the pinned piece is defending.

But remember, pins can be broken.

Do what I do.

getting pinned is like being a boxer and letting the other guy tie one of your hands behind your back. use your both hands.

I'm always afraid someone will see my PIN at the ATM, and remember it.