The queen is the most powerful piece on the board, capable of defending and attacking more squares than any other piece. On a freshly set up chess board, each side starts with one queen, right next to the king.
If you have any confusion around what the queen can do, this FAQ should clear it up for you.
Can a Queen Kill a Queen in Chess?
Yes. “Kill” isn’t the term that’s usually used in chess, but a queen can capture the enemy queen and remove it from the board.
Can a Queen Move Like a Horse (Knight)? Can It Jump?
No. The queen’s movement is a combination of the rook and bishop. It can’t jump like a knight, neither friendly pieces nor enemy pieces.
How Can a Queen Move?
The queen’s movement is a combination of the rook and bishop. It can move in a straight line—up, down, left or right. It can also move in a straight line diagonally—up left, up right, down left or down right. The queen can only move across open squares. Here’s a visual:
Can a Queen Take a Rook, Bishop, Knight or Pawn?
Yes. The queen can capture all of those pieces, but only one per turn. If an enemy piece is in the queen’s path, it can land on that square, capturing the enemy piece.
Can a Queen Take a King?
No. No piece can take the king. The queen can attack the king by putting it in check or checkmate.
Can a Queen Move Backwards?
Yes. The queen can move backwards in a vertical or diagonal line.
Can a Queen Move Diagonally?
Yes. The queen can move diagonally forward to either side and diagonally backward to either side, just like a bishop.
How Far Can a Queen Move?
The queen can move as long as the spaces are open. It will travel between 1 and 7 spaces per move. Obviously, the least amount of squares it can move is 1. If the queen is on one end of the board and travels to the other end, it will move 7 squares. It can also move any number of squares in between, depending on where you want it to land, and how many spaces are open.
I hope this answered your question about a queen killing a queen in chess and whether a queen can move like a horse or knight.
