Basic checkmatesStep 3 of 6
Queen and king against king
The endgame you will meet most — and the stalemate trap that costs the game once in a lifetime.
This is the endgame you will meet most often: you promoted a pawn and you have a queen against a lone king. Careful — it is also the endgame beginners botch most.
The box method. Do not hunt for mate straight away. The queen controls an enormous area: place her a knight’s move away from the enemy king, and his box shrinks with every move. He is left with a smaller and smaller square. Once he is against the edge, bring your own king up and the mate arrives by itself.
⚠️ The stalemate trap. If the enemy king has no legal move and is not in check, the game is a draw. You were a queen up and you do not win. It happens to everyone once — and only once, because you remember it.
Demonstration — use the arrows
Move list
The rule that protects you: before you play a queen move, look at what the enemy king has left. If he has nothing, your move is wrong — unless he is in check.
Demonstration — use the arrows
Move list
Start
Remember this too: a lone queen never mates. Your king always has to take part.
Your turn
Your turn
White to move
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Play your move on the board: drag a piece, or tap it and then tap its destination square.
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