How to Checkmate in a King and Queen Vs King Endgame

In this guide, you will learn how to successfully play out an endgame in chess where the only pieces you have left are your king and queen, and the only piece that your opponent has left is their king. Once you have achieved this state of the game, if you follow the correct steps, you should be able to easily win.

• Chess Board
• Chess Pieces
  • 1 White King
  • 1 White Queen
  • 1 Black King

In order to learn how to successfully play out this endgame, you first have to know how the involved pieces move.

King

The picture on the left(above) demonstrates the movement of the King. The red squares indicate where the King can move to in one turn. The King is able to move 1 square in any direction unless that square is occupied by another ally piece. If the square that the King is landing on is occupied by one of the opposing player's pieces, the King captures that piece. An exception to these rules is when the King would be put in "check" as a result of the move. This means that if the square that the King is trying to move to is being attacked by another piece, that move is illegal. The game is over once one player's King is being attacked and has no more squares left to move.

Queen

The picture on the right(above) demonstrates the movement of the Queen. The red squares indicate where the Queen can move to in one turn. The Queen is able to move any amount of squares in any direction unless its path is blocked or its landing square is occupied by another ally piece. Like the King, if the Queen's landing square is occupied by one of the opposing player's pieces, it captures that piece.

In this endgame, your goal should be to trap the opposing player's King into one corner of the board so that it has no more squares to run to. Usually, it is easiest to pick the corner that the opposing player's King is closest to. In this example, we will be trapping the black King into the top-left corner of the board.

Move your Queen to a position that forces the King to move towards the corner. The position of the Queen should be a "knight's move" away from the opposing King. This means your Queen should be as close to the King as possible without putting it in "check". In the example above, the black King is being forced into one of the red squares, bringing him closer to a corner of the board.

Warning: If you move your Queen right next to the opposing King, the opposing player may capture your Queen, resulting in a "stalemate" or draw.

Once your Queen is in the correct position, copy the opposing King's moves with your Queen. (i.e. The opposing King goes left one square, your Queen goes left one square) This will slowly force the opposing King into the corner. Continue to follow the opposing King until it only has two squares left to move in the corner (right).

Warning: If you trap the opposing King into the corner with only one square left, it will have no more legal moves, but it will not be under attack, therefore resulting in a "stalemate" or draw.

Slowly move your King over to the corner. As you do this, the opposing King is forced to move back and forth between its last two remaining squares. Continue moving your King until it can not get any closer to the opposing King.

Move your Queen between both Kings so that the opponent's King has no more squares left to run to. Your King will be protecting your Queen so that it cannot be captured. Congratulations, you have just won the game!