TheChessWorld.com
TheChessWorld Facebook TheChessWorld Twitter TheChessWorld Pinterest TheChessWorld YouTube
  • Start Here
  • Store
    • On Sale
    • Free Courses
    • Offers and Packages
    • Best Sellers
    • Masterclass
    • Openings
    • Middlegame
    • Endgame
    • Strategy
    • Tactics
    • Comprehensive
  • Play
  • Learn
    • Training Techniques
    • Openings
    • Middlegame
    • Endgames
    • General Information
  • Tournaments
  • Academy
  • 21-Day Course
  • Contact
TheChessWorld.com
Close

Queen vs. Pieces

WGM Raluca Sgircea, IM Renier Castellanos
WGM Raluca Sgircea, IM Renier Castellanos,
09.30.2016
0
Category: Middle Game
Tags: chess, queen vs pieces, strategies
Queen vs. Pieces

In our chess games, we often face difficult decisions at certain stages of the struggle. A queen sacrifice could be one of them. More than a sacrifice, we would like to call it an unbalanced exchange of our queen for two or more enemy pieces.

 

A sacrifice usually has a certain outcome, but an unbalanced trade is by no means clear; the battle will go on and your pieces will try to resist or outplay the opponent’s powerful queen. In this article we will have a look at some positions where one side decides to let go of his queen in order to obtain the initiative or simply as a resource to shake off the opponent’s pressure.

First let’s numerate the most usual exchanges:

  • A queen is usually valued at 3 minor pieces, considering the value itself, not the position
  • A rook and two minor pieces is usually a great deal for the side with the pieces, as the queen is too fragile to fight alone
  • A rook and a minor piece is in general insufficient compensation for the loss of the queen
  • A rook and a minor piece + one or two pawns, though it will always depend on the given position, are supposed to represent decent compensation. However, they are unlikely to beat the queen.

The trades listed above are often seen in practice and their evaluation solely depends on the position on the board. It is very important to keep in mind that the key is the coordination between the pieces / pawn structure. If the side with pieces has good coordination, meaning that the pieces defend each other or can be placed in protected squares for an undetermined period of time, then the pieces can be at least as good as the queen. If there is no coordination at all, then the queen will do harm by creating threats or simply taking material.

Ready to start winning at chess?

start chess training

Click here to start your training using the day-by-day program.

Let’s have a look at a few examples:

Here is a theoretical line in which the queen can’t outplay a rook and a bishop + pawn due to black’s excellent pawn structure and piece coordination.

Black to play

Pay attention to the position in the diagram above. Black is under certain pressure; white has a powerful knight on d6 and is attacking the black bishop on e5. What to do here? Black has a nice resource to reduce white’s initiative to nothing. See the details in the game below:

In our next example we’d like to share a beautiful game played by the Spanish GM Josep Manuel Lopez against the legendary GM Daniel Cámpora from Argentina.

Black to play

White had entered in a somewhat risky variation by taking a pawn on b7 and had seen this position as the critical moment of the game where black can win the queen by playing Bd7. GM Lopez considered that against Bd7 white could take on a5 and then on c6, winning two pieces and a pawn for the queen which, in general, is insufficient material compensation. However, black’s fragile pawn structure and white’s superb coordination gives him an advantage. He was right. See the whole game in detail here:

The former world champion Vishy Anand is world famous for his amazing fortress resources. In many games he created an unbreakable position out of nowhere, depriving his opponent from winning, despite his material advantage. In our next example we see Anand sacrificing the queen in order to comfortably equalize against Topalov:

Black to play

This was a critical line in the Open Variation of the Spanish Opening until the Indian genius came up with a strong novelty. Anand sacrificed the queen with the move 18…Rxa1! building a fortress with a monster knight on e6. Again, we see here the importance of piece coordination plus pawn structure. White has a very difficult task winning this position, if possible at all. See the details here:

If you want to improve your chess level, you need to have a clear study plan. If you aim for a dramatic improvement at chess you need to work on all of the elements of the game in a systematic way:

  • tactics
  • positional play
  • attacking skills
  • endgame technique
  • classical games analysis
  • psychological preparation
  • and much more

That seems to be like a lot of things, and that is. But no worries, we have made it easy for you. Our comprehensive training course covers it all and much more. Sign up for 21 Day Training right now!

Find this post useful? Share it?
Updated 04.07.2023
Queen vs. Pieces
Related Posts
The Bishop Pair: 5 Things to KnowThe Bishop Pair: 5 Things to KnowTypical Sacrifices in The Middlegame: The Double Bishop SacrificeTypical Sacrifices in The Middlegame: The Double Bishop SacrificeProvoking Weaknesses in the Opponent’s PositionProvoking Weaknesses in the Opponent’s Position
Related Products
0 0 votes
Article Rating
Subscribe
Login
Notify of
0 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
Join the FREE Road to 2200 Masterclass (and learn how to Attack Like a Chess Master)
We value your privacy
Supercharge Your Chess in 21 Days!
Join Academy Today!
Company
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • F.A.Q.
  • Partnership
  • Blog
  • Grandmasters
  • Jobs
Chess Resources
  • TCW Academy
  • The Store
  • 21 Day Course
  • Play Computer
  • TCW Academy Login
Top Resources
  • Opening Lab
  • Mastermind
  • Chess Mastery Series
  • Academy
100% Secure Purchase
Money Back PayPal SSL Comodo
Customer Support +1 (410) 656-9104
Email Us [email protected]
Contact Us
Facebook Twitter Mail Pinterest Youtube
Copyright 2007-2023 • TheChessWorld.com • All Rights Reserved
Cookie Policy | Acceptable Use Policy | Privacy Policy | Terms and Conditions
We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of all the cookies.
Cookie SettingsAccept
Manage consent

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
CookieDurationDescription
cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional11 monthsThe cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-others11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
viewed_cookie_policy11 monthsThe cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
Functional
Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
Performance
Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
Analytics
Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
Advertisement
Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
Others
Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet.
SAVE & ACCEPT
wpDiscuz