Xl!

Queen+King Mini-
Lesson
Checkmate M!,! Level: Novice

The queen cannot perform a checkmate by herself. She needs help from at least one other piece.
There are two basic
In the Q+K checkmate, the
end positions for the The queen also has the property where
Q+K checkmate. Bothking is activated as a all adjacent squares are poison to the
fighting piece. The king is a
require the opposing opposing king, as well as the rank, file,
powerful ally on the attack,
king to be on an edge. and diagonal where she stands.
for all his adjacent squares
"########$!
"########$!
%!,m,!,!,&!
%!,m,!,!,& !are an impenetrable wall "########$!
"########$!This gives the
%,!R!,!,!&!for use against the
%,!R!,!,!&! %!Y!,y,!Y&!
%!Y!,y,!Y&!queen the unique
%!,!L!,!,&!
%!,!L!,!,&!opposing king, and also %,!Y!YlY!&!
%,!Y!YlY!&!ability to “snare” the
provide safe refuge for the %!,!YyY!,&!
%!,!YyY!,&!
“Kiss of death” queen if she needs it. %YyYyXyYy&!opposing king
%YyYyXyYy&!
%!,!YyY!,&!
%!,!YyY!,&!within a box without
"########$!
"########$! ,!,!,!
,!,!,! %,!Y!Y!Y!&!
%,!Y!Y!Y!&!fear of being
%!,m,!,!R&!
%!,m,!,!R&! !YyY!!
YyY!! %!Y!,y,!Y&!
%!Y!,y,!Y&!attacked.
%,!,!,!,!&!
%,!,!,!,!&! ,yLy,!
,yLy,! %Y!,!Ym,!&!
%Y!,!Ym,!&!
%!,l,!,!,&!
%!,l,!,!,&! !YyY!!
YyY!! 0))))))))*!
0))))))))*!
Rank or file mate ,!,!,!
,!,!,!

Now that you know the basics, the Q+K checkmate can be simple.
"########$!
"########$! "########$!
"########$!
%!,!,!,!,&!
%!,!,!,!,&! %!,!,!,!,&!
%!,!,!,!,&!
Step 1) Using your queen, %,!,!,!,!&!
%,!,!,!,!&! Step 4) Move the queen %,!,!,!,!&!
%,!,!,!,!&!
ensnare the opposing king %!,m,!,!,&!
%!,m,!,!,&! over one square for %!,!,!,!,&!
%!,!,!,!,&!
in the smallest box that is %,!,x,!,!&!
%,!,x,!,!&! checkmate. %,!,!,!,!&!
%,!,!,!,!&!
safely possible. %!,y,!,!,&!
%!,y,!,!,&! %x,!,!,!,&!
%x,!,!,!,&!
%,!L!,!,!&!
%,!L!,!,!&! %YyYy,!,!&!
%YyYy,!,!&!
%!,!,!,!,&!
%!,!,!,!,&! %!YmY!,!,&!
%!YmY!,!,&!
%,!,!,!,!&!
%,!,!,!,!&! %LyYy,!,!&!
%LyYy,!,!&!
0))))))))*!
0))))))))*! 0))))))))*!
0))))))))*!
"########$!
"########$!
%!,!,!,!,&! Avoid this stalemate!
Step 2) As the opposing %!,!,!,!,&!
%,!,!,!,!&!
%,!,!,!,!& ! A common mistake when %!,!,!,!,&!
%!,!,!,!,&!
king moves, shrink the box
%!,m,!,!,&!
%!,m,!,!,&! attempting the Q+K %,!,mX!,!&!
%,!,mX!,!&!
to force him to an edge. %,!,!,!,!&! checkmate is blundering an %!,!,!,!,&!
%,!,!,!,!&! ,!,!,!,&!
Allow 2 to 3 squares for %!X!,!,!,&!
%!X!,!,!,&! %,!,l,!,!&!
%,!,l,!,!&!
him to maneuver. %Y!,!,!,!&! easy win into this stalemate. 0))))))))*!
%Y!,!,!,!&! 0))))))))*!
%l,!,!,!,&!
%l,!,!,!,&!
%,!,!,!,!&!
%,!,!,!,!&! Use “Coaches Rule”: As soon as the opponents
0))))))))*!
0))))))))*!
"########$!
"########$ !
king is on an edge, move your queen to a safe
Step 3) March in your king %!,!,!,!,&!
%!,!,!,!,&!
%,!,!,!,!&! square on the row or column right next to that
into battle and position him %,!,!,!,!&!
%!,!,!,!,&!
%!,!,!,!,&! king. Then march your king
so his defensive wall %,!,!,!,!&! into the area and position %!,m,!,!,&!
%,!,!,!,!&! %!,m,!,!,&!
%!X!,!,!,&! it for the your game-ending%,!,!
ensures the opposing king %!X!,!,!,&! %,!,!X!,!&!
X!,!&!
cannot escape when the %Yy,y,!,!&!
%Yy,y,!,!&! % ! ,!,!,!,&!
,!,!,!,& !
%lYmY!,!,&! checkmate!
queen moves in for the kill. %lYmY!,!,&! %,!,l,!,!&!
%,!,l,!,!&!
%,yYy,!,!&!
%,yYy,!,!&! 0))))))))*!
0))))))))*!
0))))))))*!
0))))))))*!
V2.1 © 2008 Sand castle Productions (C.R. Beach)