Chess lessons › Chess endgames
Queen against a pawn
A queen stops a pawn on the seventh, but a bishop or rook pawn can draw if the king is far.
The idea
A queen beats a pawn on the seventh; a bishop or rook pawn may draw.
- The pawn is a step from queening, so the queen needs help.
- The queen drives the black king in front of its pawn, blocking it.
- Each time the queen gains a move, your king steps closer.
In a game: When a pawn reaches the seventh against your queen, note its file and how far your king is.
How the lesson begins
A queen should beat a pawn easily, but a pawn on the seventh rank (counting from its own side, so the second rank for a black pawn) is one step from promotion, and the queen needs help. The method has two parts. First, check the black king until it has to stand in front of its own pawn, where it blocks the pawn. Then bring your own king one step closer each time the queen gains a move.
Watch the whole plan.
- 1. Qe6 The queen takes e1 and e2 away from the black king.
- 1... Kc2 2. Qc4+ Kd1 The king goes back in front of its pawn.
- 3. Qe4 Now the black king has only one move.
- 3... Kc1 4. Qe2 Kc2 5. Kb4 The white king comes one step closer.
- 5... Kc1 6. Kc3 d1=N+ Black promotes to a knight instead of a queen, with check.
- 7. Kb3 Ne3 8. Qd3 Nd1 9. Qc2# Checkmate.
A question
Now Black’s pawn is on c2, a bishop pawn, with the king beside it on b2. White’s king is far away. A queen against a pawn is an easy win, isn’t it?
Show the answer
No. It is a draw.
Right. The pawn on c2 and the king beside it are hard to dislodge, and the king can hide in the corner, where the queen has to be careful of stalemate. White’s king would have to be very close to win.
In numbers
Positions to practise
64 positions in the study, every result proved by the tablebase: 63 are wins and 1 a draw for the side to move, with best play on both sides.