King & Queen vs King
EndgameCheckmate TechniqueGoal: checkmate
The position
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White to move and win by checkmate. This is a technique you need to know cold: once you have the method, it works every time.
The idea
King and queen against a lone king is the first checkmate everyone should master. It is always a win, and it takes about ten moves once you know the method. The danger is not losing, it is accidentally giving stalemate.
How to do it
- Use the queen to build a box around the enemy king, one knight's-move away from it, so it cannot step through.
- Shrink the box a little with each queen move, always keeping the queen a knight's move from the king so it cannot capture her.
- When the box is small, walk your own king towards the enemy king until the two kings face each other with one square between them.
- With the enemy king on the edge and your king in opposition, give checkmate with the queen on the edge, protected by your king.
Common mistakes
- Putting the queen next to the enemy king without protection, so he simply captures her.
- Taking away every square without giving check. That is stalemate, a draw. Before each move, count the squares the king has left.
- Chasing the king with checks instead of building the box.
Remember
Always leave the enemy king at least one legal move until the moment you give checkmate.