Principles · 2 min read
Why bringing the queen out early backfires
The queen is the most valuable piece, so a safe attack by any smaller piece forces her to move. Each time she has to move away, the opponent develops a piece for free.
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1.e4 e5 2.Qh5 Nc6 3.Bc4 g6 4.Qf3 Nf6
White's queen has moved twice and been chased once. Black has both knights out, and the knight on f6 blocks the queen's path to f7.
How to punish an early queen
- Develop pieces to squares that attack her.
- Take squares from her with pawn moves you wanted anyway, such as ...g6 followed by ...Bg7.
- Do not grab material she defends until your king is safe.
When an early queen move is fine
Some sound openings move the queen early on purpose. In the Scandinavian (1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Qxd5), Black loses a move when Nc3 attacks the queen and gets a solid position in return.
Key takeaways
- Each queen retreat is a free developing move for the opponent.
- Answer an early queen by developing pieces that attack her.
Frequently asked questions
- How do I stop scholar's mate?
- After 1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Nc6 3.Qh5, play 3...g6, attacking the queen. If 4.Qf3, renewing the threat on f7, answer 4...Nf6, which develops and blocks the queen.
- Is the Scandinavian bad because of the early queen?
- No. The Scandinavian Defence is a respected opening. Black loses a little time but gets a solid structure and easy development.
Practise the related tactics
The ideas behind this
- Queen Out Too EarlyAn early queen gets chased, and each chasing move develops a piece.
- Development TempoCount each side's developed pieces. The count tells you what to do.
- Sidestepping TrapsAsk what the opponent's last move attacks. That habit stops most traps.