Traps, Tricks & Mistakes: Queen’s Headache

Chess coaches frequently recommend to beginners not to move the queen too early in the game. Nevertheless, it is also common that beginners move the queen early in the game. Less usual is that experienced players forget that golden rule.

Today’s example is a game played in the first round of the Chess Olympiad 2018 which took place in Batumi.

In the first round, the team of Saudi Arabia faced the team Denmark. In the third board of that match, IM Nikolaj Mikkelsen (DEN) played Black against Emad Al Habbeb (KSA).

Al Habbeb had one plan in mind and moved his queen in the seventh move just after castling. His intention was to trade the Black fianchettoed bishop but he forgot to finish his queenside development. As a result, his queen got trapped on the kingside and finally Black punished the early queen’s trip in an exemplary way.

More about trapped queens ‘here’

Nairobi Chess Club site is closed again until further notice due to the COVID pandemic.
Nevertheless, if you want to play chess, you are lucky. Our virtual Chess.com club keeps organizing regularly online tournaments and matches. More than 360 members enjoy that chance. New tournaments will start soon and there is Blitz every Saturday. Join now! Limited slots!.
Besides all of that, a new overseas match against the German Nastätten Schachclub is scheduled for Apr.18th. Members of Nairobi Chess Club are invited to play.
Get updated about COVID-19 checking the website World Health Organization which includes links to country-specific information. Stay safe!

You may also like...