Can A Pawn Kill A Queen?

Chess Guides / By Andrew Hercules
can a pawn kill a queen

Pawns are the least powerful piece on the board, they are only valued 1 point because of their restricted movement. The queen however is the most powerful piece and can control a total of 28 squares carrying it’s value to a whopping 9 points.

Due to their contrasting differences, it makes us wonder can the pawn which is the smallest guy on the board kill a majestic piece like the queen? Let’s find out

Can A Pawn Kill A Queen

Believe it or not, a pawn can kill a queen by capturing it on the square that it lands. In chess, pawns capture a piece by moving one square diagonally forward to the left or right. The pawns can capture not only the queen but every other piece except for the king. Capturing the king is illegal in chess. 

Related Post: Can a pawn kill a king

White to move

It’s White turn to move and he should use his pawn to capture the black queen on h5 since we know that pawns capture a piece by moving one square diagonally forward to the left or right. Below is what it looks like after the piece has been captured:

Comparing The Pawn And The Queen

Pawn Queen
Can only move one square forward Move in any direction in any number of squares in a straight line
Can capture any piece except for the king Can capture any piece except for the king
Has 2 special move called en passant and promotion Has no special move
Least powerful piece Most powerful piece
Losing a pawn is not critical Losing a queen is critical

 

Andrew Hercules

Hercules Chess, launched in 2020, is a website that teaches you about chess. We started as a chess blog and became a chess training platform in early 2022.

Related Posts:

Can Chess Make You Crazy? - Yes It Can, And Here Are 9 Reasons Why

Can Chess Make You Crazy? - Yes It Can, And Here Are 9 Reasons Why

By Andrew Hercules

Some of our old chess veterans such as Fischer and Nimzowitsch have known to have fallen eccentric after retirement. This leads us to the question, can chess make you crazy? While there are no scientific evidence to prove that chess makes one crazy, it is clear that the complications of the game as well as […]

How To Win At Chess In Two Moves? Fool’s Mate In Action

How To Win At Chess In Two Moves? Fool’s Mate In Action

By Andrew Hercules

There are more than one ways to finish a chess game fast, but did you know that you can win at chess in just 2 moves? The name of this strategy is called the Fool’s Mate  and is the oldest and most popular quick game strategy that is employed regularly. It allows any player to finish […]

Can You Win Chess With Just A King?

Can You Win Chess With Just A King?

By Andrew Hercules

Imagine a position where all your men have been cleared from the chess board and all you are left with is your bare king. So, can you still win at chess with just a king? It’s impossible to win at chess with just a King. A lone king cannot give check let alone checkmate another […]

So what are you waiting for?

Sign Up Now