Queen vs. Pawn on the 7th Rank

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danielthemaniel19

Hello everybody, I recently got into a chess match with someone and the position came down to my king and queen vs. his queen and pawn. His pawn was on the seventh rank and his king and my queen kept circling around it in checks. I was wondering if someone could help me find a solution to somehow beat my opponent in this situation. (Another factor is that my king was in a corner and I was having trouble activating it)

 

 


mxdplay4
With Bishop pawn or Rook pawn this is a draw due to stalemate.  I'll try and remember the technique with a central (or N) pawn and post it in a minute.
omnipaul

The trick to this kind of endgame is to move closer with your Queen with checks un

til you can force the King to step in front of the pawn.  This will give you a tempo to move your King.  Repeat until you can get your King next to your opponents pawn.

 

 

EDIT:  As mxdplay4 pointed out, Black has a drawing resource with 6. ... Ka1! 7. Qxc2  stalemate, but the idea behind the ending is still valid, it just has to be a Knight or central pawn as he noted.
mxdplay4

If the King was closer, you can sometimes win the above position by the way. 


sstteevveenn

the position you give is a draw, because the king never goes in front of the pawn, and instead protects the pawn by going into the corner.  If the queen takes the pawn, then it's stalemate. 

 


mxdplay4
Of course, 11. Ke3 works too
orejano

That position is a draw.

 

And if white stops checking the king, then the pawn will promote and it will be a draw anyway. 


TonightOnly

Hey Dan

 

I actually wrote an article on this topic a little while ago, if you want to check it out. I think your question has pretty much been answered, but I listed the resources available for attacker and defender for central, bishop, knight, and rook pawns, all in that same article. Just go to

 

Learn > Chess Articles > Endgames > Queen vs. Pawn on 7th

 

It will be the fourth one down. 


TheRealThreat

yep! this is a draw black all he has to do is go into the corner a1 after Queen take the pawn guard by his king... stalemate if the pawn was on the rook file same result. it only wining if the pawn is on the knight file and king and queen file. all white has to do is keep checking blk king until he move his king under his pawn blocking the promotion, then move his own king closer to the pawn until his can capture it.


danielthemaniel19

Oh okay, thanks a lot TonightOnly, I hadn't seen that before. I think that you have all pretty much answered my question. In summation, this position can be a stalemate if black knows what to play and utilizes a1 well... I suppose that it also could end up being threefold repetion as well. If the pawn instead was anything but a rook or a bishop pawn, white can win. To do this is it just the same series of checks until the king is on the promotion square? (Followed by moving the king towards the pawn)