How the queen moves
Updated
The queen moves any number of squares in a straight line: forward, backward, sideways or diagonally. She combines the rook and the bishop, which makes her the strongest piece on the board, but she cannot jump over pieces.
How the queen moves
Tap the queen on d4. From the middle of an empty board she reaches 27 squares.
The queen moves like a rook and a bishop combined: any number of squares forward, backward, sideways or diagonally, in a straight line. She can't jump, and she can't move like a knight. From one of the four centre squares of an empty board she reaches 27 squares, more than any other piece can.
How the queen captures
She takes the first enemy piece in any of her eight directions by moving onto its square. Because she attacks in so many directions at once, she is great at double attacks: threatening two things with one move.
Don't bring her out too early
Beginners love moving the queen in the first few moves, and sometimes it works against an opponent who doesn't defend. The famous four-move trap, Scholar's Mate, goes 1. e4 e5 2. Bc4 Nc6 3. Qh5 Nf6?? 4. Qxf7#.
Against a careful player it backfires. Black can defend f7 (for example with 3...g6 or 3...Qe7) and then chase the queen with knights and bishops, getting their pieces out with every attack while White keeps moving the queen around. As a rule, bring out your knights and bishops first and let the queen join a little later.
Common beginner mistakes
- Trading the queen for less. She is worth about nine pawns. Losing her for a knight or a rook is usually a disaster, so check whether the square you move her to is attacked.
- Hunting pawns with her. A queen that wanders off to grab a pawn can get trapped, or leave your king without its best defender.
- Stalemating a lonely king. When you're winning, a queen placed too close to the enemy king can take away every move without giving check. That's a draw, not a win: see checkmate vs stalemate.
The bot who lives for checks
Blitz Betty moves fast and loves giving check: “Check! Tick tock.” A queen gives check from more directions than any other piece, so keep an eye on hers, and remember that Betty overreaches when you slow down and defend calmly.
What the queen is worth
A queen is usually counted as worth about 9 pawns. These numbers are a rough guide for judging trades, not a rule: a piece's real value depends on the position.
The usual scale: pawn 1 · knight 3 · bishop 3 · rook 5 · queen 9. When it misleads:chess piece values.
Questions people ask
- Can the queen move like a knight?
- No. The queen moves like a rook and a bishop combined, but not like a knight, and she can’t jump over pieces.
- Can you have more than one queen?
- Yes. A pawn that reaches the far rank can be promoted to a queen even while your first queen is still on the board.
- Where does the queen start?
- On her own colour, next to the king: the white queen on d1 (a light square) and the black queen on d8 (a dark square).
Keep learning
- How the rook movesStraight lines, up, down and sideways, any distance. Castles with the king.
- How the bishop movesDiagonally, any distance. It never leaves its starting colour.
- How the king movesOne square any direction, never into check. Lose it and you lose the game.
- Scholar's Mate and how to stop itA four-move mate on f7. Guard f7 first, then chase the queen.