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Welcome back. Perhaps you'd like to tell me what you'd like me to call you this lesson.
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Do you understand all about the importance of PLAYING SAFE, kiddo?  Yes, I understand all about PLAYING SAFE I still find it hard to make sure my move is SAFE |
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Do you remember about FORKS? They're the moves which THREATEN (remember?) more than one piece in different directions. Well, QUEENS are very good at using FORKS. That's because they move in EIGHT DIRECTIONS. So they find it very easy to use FORKS. At the same time, it's sometimes hard to see QUEEN FORKS because you have to look in EIGHT DIRECTIONS at the same time! 
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Look at this position. Can you see how the WHITE QUEEN can FORK the two black PAWNS? There are lots of ways of THREATENING one PAWN but only TWO WAYS to THREATEN both PAWNS at the same time. Try to work it out for yourself before moving onto the next page.
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Did you find an answer? The first answer is to move the QUEEN to d7 where it THREATENS both the PAWN on c7 (along the RANK) and the PAWN on f5 (along the DIAGONAL). The other answer is to move the QUEEN to c2 where it THREATENS the PAWN on c7 (along the FILE) and the PAWN on f5 (along the DIAGONAL).
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Using a QUEEN to FORK two PAWNS is good, but FORKING a ROOK and a BISHOP could be even better. But you have to remember to PLAY SAFE before you make your move. Stop, count to 10 and make sure that nothing can CAPTURE your QUEEN before you play the move. What would you play if you wanted to FORK the black ROOK and BISHOP in this position?
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You COULD FORK the two black pieces by moving to g8 but it wouldn't be SAFE because either piece would be able to CAPTURE you. You COULD also FORK the two black pieces by moving to f3, but then the BISHOP would be able to CAPTURE you. The safe way to play a FORK is to move to f5. You have to move to the same DIAGONAL as the ROOK and the same RANK or FILE as the BISHOP.
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One more thing. If the white QUEEN moves to f5, Black should look for a way of moving one piece so that it DEFENDS the other piece. Of course he has to be careful that he's moving to a SAFE square. Here, he could move his ROOK to d4 so that the ROOK would DEFEND the BISHOP. This move would let him escape from the FORK.
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That's the end of the lesson, kiddo.
QUEEN FORKS can be hard to find. And you have to remember to PLAY SAFE as well. I think you need to do another REALLY HARD EXAM. Yay! I love using weapons! Can I repeat the lesson first? I'll do it later - I have to go now No - I might stab myself with the FORK. |