HOME --> TIPS --> Do you send your Queen out pawn-snapping?
Every chessplayer knows the Queen is the most powerful piece. Aside from the King, that makes the Queen your most valuable piece. You wouldn't use a Rolls-Royce to pull a plow, so why waste your valuable Queen snapping up pawns? New chessplayers playing Black seem to love to send their Queen out to grab White's b2 pawn. As White, they go after the b7 pawn.
Here are two examples from email games I've played. In both cases, my opponent brought his Queen out way too early in the game, before the rest of his pieces were fully developed.
Use the VCR buttons below the board to run the game, or click on a move in the move list to jump to that move. Thanks to Palview for the Javascript.
Kearman - NamanEmail 2000.02.191. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Qf6 3. Nc3 a5 4. d4 exd4 5. Bg5 Qg6 6. Qxd4 c5 7. Qe3 Qb6 8. Nd5 Qxb2 9. Nc7+ 1-0 No comment necessary! |
Kearman - Ginsberga1-h8 1999.12.191. e4
c6
2. d4
d5
3. Nc3
dxe4
4. Nxe4
Nd7
5. Ng5
Ngf6
6. Bd3
e6
7. N1f3
h6
8. Nxe6
fxe6
9. O-O
Qe7
10. Bg6+
Kd8
11. Bf4
Qb4
12. Qe2
Qxb2
13. Qxe6
Nb6
14. Qf7
Nbd5
15. Rab1
Qxa2
16. Bc7+
Ginzberg started out playing the Caro-Kann. When he played 11....Qb4 I knew he was after my pawn. I considered 12. b3 to protect it, but decided to continue developing my pieces, assuming I could launch an attack while his Queen was away from home. I never guessed I'd be able to trade a Bishop for a Queen! Neither did Marshall, who resigned when he saw (16. ... Nxc7 17. Qxa2). |
