Trapping the queen
A queen that grabs a pawn or a rook deep in the enemy camp can be cut off from every safe square.
The idea
The queen is attacked, and every square she can go to is covered.
- Black’s queen has taken the pawn on b2, far from her own pieces.
- The knight on a4 attacks her.
- Every square she can go to is covered, so she is lost.
In a game: When a queen grabs a pawn deep in the enemy camp, count the safe squares she has left.
How the lesson begins
A piece is trapped when it is attacked and every square it can go to is covered. The queen is the strongest piece, but she can be trapped like any other, and losing her usually loses the game.
Black’s queen has taken the pawn on b2, far from her own pieces. White’s knight has just come to a4 to attack her. She can go to 15 squares, marked in red, and a white piece covers every one of them.
A question
Black to move. The queen cannot get away. What is Black’s best move?
Show the answer
Qxa1, taking the rook before she is lost.
Right. After Qxa1 Qxa1 Black has a rook and a pawn for the queen. That is still a bad deal, but it is much better than losing her for nothing. A trapped piece should take the most it can on its way out.