2. Qi3

A case for Qi3 and Qf12 in teams (4 player chess)

liquid-sun

May 18, 2021, 8:59 AM | 10

Most high-level teams players I play with scoff at my arrows for Qi3 or Qf12. The most obvious and usually-included reason for playing this move is to protect against a queen-bishop's pawn capture from an enemy queen.

The reason why this queen move is often not play (or even considered) by higher-rated players are as follow:

From i3 or f12, the queen has less mobility
From i3 or f12, the queen usually must immediately move again to prevent BG's knight jump to k4 or d11 respectively, both attacking the queen and threatening check
A queen on i3 or f12 usually does not immediately threaten anything

As a general rule in chess, good moves accomplish multiple things at once. Whereas newer players usually don't look far beyond immediate threats and ideas, stronger players usually try to execute a longer-term plan or idea. If Qi3 or Qf12 did not accomplish anything beyond protecting a pawn, then it probably would not be good move. There are a few deeper ideas, however, behind these moves.

You may recognize this opening in the recent blog I posted on how to always beat the dark-squared opening trap. Qi3 is suggested for this opening system for multiple reasons. To understand these reasons, we must first note that the bishop pawns and king-knight pawns are usually soft spots in the king's camp. In the opening shown above, Red's next move makes it difficult for Blue to find a good move while simultaneously placing the queen on a square that sets up longer-term threats on BG's bishop pawns.

Notice how well Yellow's queen coordinates with Red's queen placement. The ability to coordinate queens is usually another prerequisite for Qi3 or Qf12 being a strong move. Alternatively to Qi3, Red may play Qk5, threatening Green's k9 pawn. I believe that this move, however, gives far less coordination between RY and thus leaves open exploitable threats. Watch the following game to see how Team Terminators responded to Qk5: https://www.chess.com/4-player-chess?g=7302897.

There are generally two follow-up moves for Qi3 and Qf12 in opening systems given the vulnerable squares in each king's camp, both simultaneously protecting and attack them. One moves vertically and the other diagonally.

This picture is of yet another opening system wherein I believe that Qi3 or Qf12 (this time, Qf12) is the strongest move.

Below are two PGNs wherein this queen on f12 moves to f9:

[Variant "Teams"]
[RuleVariants "EnPassant"]
[CurrentMove "0"]

1. h2-h3 .. b7-c7 .. g13-g12 .. m8-l8
2. Qg1-k5 .. b6-c6 .. Qh14-f12 .. m9-l9
3. Bi1-h2 .. Na10-c9 .. Nj14-k12 .. Nn5-l6
4. e2-e3 .. Qa7-b7 .. Qf12-f9 .. Nn10-l11
5. Qk5-f5 .. c7-d7 .. d13-d11 .. Qn8-m8
6. Bf1-e2 .. b11-c11 .. Bf14-g13 .. l8-k8
7. Bh2xNl6 .. b4-c4 .. Nk12-l10 .. m11xNl10
8. Bl6-h2

and to i9:

[Variant "Teams"]
[RuleVariants "EnPassant"]
[CurrentMove "0"]

1. h2-h3 .. b7-c7 .. g13-g12 .. m8-l8
2. Qg1-k5 .. b6-c6 .. Qh14-f12 .. m9-l9
3. Bi1-h2 .. Qa7-b7 .. Qf12-i9 .. Nn5-l6
4. Qk5-f5 .. Na10-c11 .. d13-d12 .. Nl6-k4
5. Qf5-f6 .. Qb7-d9 .. Qi9-i10 .. l8-k8
6. Qf6xm6+ .. Qd9xg12+ .. h13xQg12 .. Kn7xQm6
7. Bh2xm7 .. Nc11-e12 .. Qi10-i6+ .. Nk4-l6

Notice that the queens are so strong in this formation that BG have difficulty finding alternative plans:

These PGNs bring us full circle to the initial and most obvious reason to play Qi3 or Qf12: they protect the opposite's queen-bishop pawn against Sicilian-style attacks, allowing for swift queen development. This swift development is what allows the opening system shown above to give RY enough speed to place their queens on squares to have coordinated positional advantages before BG prevent such queen placement. Swift queen development is by my analysis the deepest ideas behind Qi3 and Qf12 and thus the primary reason that these moves should be played granted that they also give the queens coordination.

A case for Qi3 and Qf12 in teams (4 player chess)

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