A queen fork is a queen move that attacks two enemy pieces at the same time. The queen moves in eight directions, so she finds forks that no other piece can.
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A queen fork works when both targets are undefended, or when one of them is the king. Loose pieces anywhere on the board are the queen's favourite targets.
How to do it
- 1Look for undefended enemy pieces, and for the king.
- 2Find a safe square from which the queen hits two of them.
- 3Prefer a fork with check, so the opponent has no time to save both.
For your level
Look for pieces with no defender. A queen check can hit one of them.
Common mistakes
- Forking a piece that is defended, so you win nothing.
- Leaving your own pieces undefended where an enemy queen can reach them.
Questions
- Why does a queen fork often need check?
- The queen is worth so much that the opponent can often answer one threat by attacking her. With check, the king must move first, so there is no time for counterplay.