FIDE Surveys – Susan Polgar

1

Susan Polgar:

Watch the Queen!

Koblentz said “No price is too great for the
scalp of the enemy King”. Well, the next
most important thing is the Queen.
It is essential in practical play to have a
sense when the Queen is in danger. If it is
the enemy Queen, see if you can trap her.
On the other hand, if it is your own Queen,
make sure she is out of trouble. When you
see a Queen being in enemy’s territory, it
is clearly a red flag.

Let’s see a few simple examples on this
topic.

XIIIIIIIIY
9-+-+-vlk+0
9zp-+-+-zp-0
9-+-zp-+nzp0
9+-zpP+-+-0
9-+PwqNzP-+0
9zP-+-+-zPl0
9-+-vL-sN-zP0
9+-+Q+-mK-0
xiiiiiiiiy

In this example, the Black Queen seems to
be centralized right in the middle of the
board. Moreover, it is pinning the White
Knight on f2, and attacks White’s Pawn on
c4. Yet, if White finds the correct move,
the Queen on d4 gets in to major trouble.
After the natural defensive move 1.Qc1!
White not only protects the Pawn, but also
takes away the last escape window from
the Black Queen. Black cannot stop the
decisive threat of 2.Be3.

Similarly, in the next position, White with
a quiet move prevents the retreat of
Black’s Queen.

XIIIIIIIIY
9rsnl+-trk+0
9+p+-zppvlp0
9-+pzp-snp+0
9zp-+P+-+-0
9-wqP+-+-+0
9+-sN-+-zP-0
9PzP-sNPzPLzP0
9tR-vLQ+RmK-0
xiiiiiiiiy

The answer is: 1.Na4! (taking away the b6
and c5 squares from the Queen). Now the
threat is a2-a3. 1…b5 2.a3! Qxa4 3.b3 and
the Queen is lost.

Here is an example from a recent game:

Boruchovsky : Stefansson
Plovdiv 2012

XIIIIIIIIY
9r+-+rvlk+0
9+l+-+pzp-0
9p+n+-+-zp0
9+pzpL+-+-0
9-+-+N+-+0
9zP-+P+N+P0
9-wqP+-+P+0
9tR-+QtR-mK-0
xiiiiiiiiy

Black played 21...Na5. The idea is to offer
an exchange of Bishops.
However, after 22.Ra2 the Black Queen is
trapped. Black should have been
suspicious of White's threat, and either
prevent it by 21...c4, or create an escape
route for the Queen to go back to g7 with
21...g6.

FIDE Surveys – Susan Polgar

2

A student of mine had the following
position with Black:

XIIIIIIIIY
9r+l+-trk+0
9+p+nzppvl-0
9p+-zp-snpzp0
9wq-zpP+-+-0
9P+P+-+-vL0
9+-sN-zPN+-0
9-zP-+LzPPzP0
9tR-+Q+RmK-0
xiiiiiiiiy

He over-ambitiously played
11...Qb4 12.Qc2 Re8 13.Nd2 Ne5
and now White continued with
14.a5.
The threat now is to simply trap the Queen
with 15.Ra4. Black planned to defend
against it by
14...Bd7
14...b5 was relatively better, but it would
lose a Pawn too. It is true that Black now
controls the a4 square, but White with a
couple of forceful moves can reignite that
same Ra1-a4 idea.
15.Bxf6 Bxf6 16.f4
Black’s Knight is practically trapped now,
as if 16...Ng4, White continues with
17.Bxg4 Bxg4 and 18.Ra4 Bxc3 19.bxc3.
The actual game ended quickly after
16…Nc6 17.dxc6
with White’s victory.
Interestingly, White also had another way
to win with the quiet 15.Ra3, followed by
the unstoppable Nc3-a2 Queen trapping
move next!

The next example is from my teenage
years, a pleasant memory: One of my first
wins against a grandmaster!

Susan Polgar – F. Gheorghiu
Baden-Baden, 1985

XIIIIIIIIY
9r+l+k+-tr0
9+-+n+p+-0
9pzp-zp-snp+0
9+-zpPzp-+p0
9-zPP+P+-zP0
9zP-sNLwqP+-0
9-+Q+N+P+0
9+R+-mK-+R0
xiiiiiiiiy

We just traded Bishops on e3 with the last
pair of moves. That is how the Black
Queen ended up on its unnatural position.
I immediately noticed that the only retreat
the Queen has is back to h6.
Therefore, my next move was very logical:
19.f4!
If now 19…exf4, then simply 20.Nd1
trapping the Queen.
My opponent tried to rescue the Queen
from the other side:
19…cxb4 20.axb4 b5
And here comes another pawn push to
close the retreat on the a7-g1 diagonal as
well.
21.c5!
Now Black must give up material to save
the Queen.
21…Nxc5 22.bxc5 Ng4 23.Nd1 Qxc5
24.Rc1

In the next position, it is again obvious to
the experienced eye that the White Queen
is in a suspicious position, and should
worry about how to rescue the situation
before it gets too late.

FIDE Surveys – Susan Polgar

3

M. Cebalo : E. Bukic
Banjaluka 1981

XIIIIIIIIY
9r+-+k+-tr0
9zpp+qzppvl-0
9-+n+l+pzp0
9+-zp-+-+-0
9-sn-+-+-wQ0
9+-sNP+NzP-0
9PzP-vLPzPLzP0
9+-tR-+RmK-0
xiiiiiiiiy

Here White played 14.a3?
Sadly for White, there was no time for this
(a2-a3) intermediate move. Black can
immediately force to gain material
advantage.
14...g5.
If 15.Qh5, Bg4 traps the Queen. It is true,
that White can get three Pawns for the
Knight with 15.Nxg5 hxg5 16.Qxg5 Bf6
17.Qxc5, but Black develops a winning
attack with 17…Bh3! 18.axb4 Bxg2
19.Kxg2 Qh3+ 20.Kf3 Rh5.
15.Qe4
The only square where the Queen is safe
for another moment.
15...f5 16.Qe3 Bd4!
The Queen has nowhere else to run.
Perhaps, what White missed in his
calculation was that after 17.Nxd4 cxd4
18.Qf3 dxc3 19.Bxc3 Black has 19...Nd5!!
20.Bxh8 g4 trapping the Queen.
Black later won without much trouble after
17.Qxe6 Qxe6 18.axb4 cxb4.

In the initial position, White had to
continue with either 14.h3 g5 15.Qh5, as
now Be6-g4 is prevented or with 14.Nb5 to
keep the fight going.

The next example is one of my own.

Susan Polgar : E. Geller
Aruba 1992

XIIIIIIIIY
9r+r+-+k+0
9+l+nvlpzpp0
9p+q+p+-+0
9zP-+-+-+n0
9Nzp-+P+-+0
9+-+L+NvL-0
9-zP-+QzPPzP0
9tR-+R+-mK-0
xiiiiiiiiy

After a quick look at this position, we can
see that the Black Queen has no places to
go to. All we need to do is to attack it. But
how?
My opponent's last move was 18...Nf6-h5,
with the idea of preventing the trapping of
the Queen: if 19.Nd4, then 19...Nxg3
20.hxg3 Qc7 and the Queen is safe.
I found a strong idea combining various
tactical elements, but ultimately focusing
around the trapping of the Black Queen.
19.Be5!
Now, the Nf3-d4 threat is renewed. If
19...Nxe5 20.Nxe5 Qc7 then 21.Qxh5 g6
22.Qe2 Qxe5 and fork with 23.Nb6.
Moving the Knight from d7 on move 19,
would also fail for the same reason, as it
would similarly allow the Na4-b6 jump.
The game continued with.
19...Bf6
Which did not help prevent my threat, and
after
20.Nd4 Nxe5 21.Nxc6 Nf4 22.Qe3
I won soon – 1:0.

Most positions with equal number of
pawns, all on one side of the board - have
drawish tendencies. It would also be in the
following example, unless White can find
something concrete immediately.

FIDE Surveys – Susan Polgar

4

Z. Ribli : J. Lauber
Germany 2012

XIIIIIIIIY
9-+-+-trk+0
9+-+n+pzpp0
9-+Nvlpsn-+0
9+-+-+-+-0
9-+R+-vL-+0
9wq-+-+-zP-0
9-+Q+PzPLzP0
9+-+-+-mK-0
xiiiiiiiiy

The first idea that comes to mind is to
attack the Black Queen with the Rook,
trying to chase it away from guarding the
Bishop on d6. However, it is not hard to be
convinced that neither 24.Ra4 nor 24.Rc3
bring anything to the table. At a closer
look, we can discover that Black's Queen is
rather limited in escapes squares.
Therefore, it is time to start the chase!
24.Bc1! Qa6
Only move to avoid the immediate loss of
the Queen. If 24...Qa1, White traps the
"lady" in the corner with 25.Ra4. Also
24...Qa8 fails to the discovery with
25.Ne7.
25.Ra4
And the chase continues! It is crucial not to
waste time and let Black get "off the hook"
by activating his Knight with either Nd7-
b6 or Nd7-e5.
25...Qb5
If 25...Qb6 26.Be3 Bc5 (or 26...Qc7
27.Ra7 transposing to the game
continuation.) 27.Rb4! elegantly using the
pin, with material gain.
After 25...Qc8, White proceeds with
26.Rd4 and Black is in trouble again.
Black needs to make sure to prevent the
fork with Nc6-e7. Therefore, the Bishop
must remain on the a3-f8 diagonal. For
example, if 26...Qc7 (If 26...Bc5 27.Rc4
and Black must allow the upcoming Rxc5,
as otherwise for example if 27...Bd6 then

28.Ne7 is even worse.) 27.Ba3! A very
nice move to deflect the Bishop on d6 from
protecting the Queen on c7. 27...Be5 (of
course if 27...Bxa3 then 28.Ne7 Bxe7
29.Qxc7) 28.Rc4 and Black will either
have to allow the Bxf8 capture or give up
the Queen.
26.Ra5
Again, there is only one safe place to run
to...
26...Qb6
26...Qb7 would be a blunder due to
27.Ne7.
27.Be3 Qc7 28.Ra7
The fifth "chasing move" in a row!
28...Qc8
Now that the Black Queen has been chased
to a "fork pattern" with a potential Nc6-e7,
the last task is to get rid of the Bishop on
d6, which defends the e7 square.

XIIIIIIIIY
9-+q+-trk+0
9tR-+n+pzpp0
9-+Nvlpsn-+0
9+-+-+-+-0
9-+-+-+-+0
9+-+-vL-zP-0
9-+Q+PzPLzP0
9+-+-+-mK-0
xiiiiiiiiy

29.Qd2!
And Black cannot avoid material loss.
After 29...Ne8 30.Qxd6! Nxd6 31.Ne7
Kh8 32.Nxc8 Rxc8 33.Rxd7 is decisive or
if 29...Bc5 30.Bxc5 Nxc5 31.Ne7 is even
worse. Black actually resigned after
29.Qd2, probably not noticing a hidden
defensive resource with 29...Nd5 30.Bxd5
exd5 31.Qxd5 and now the surprising
31...Nb8! Black could have certainly
prolonged the game this way, but White
still has a big advantage after gaining a
Pawn with 32.Nxb8 Qxb8 33.Bd4 and the
outcome of the game with be in no doubt
in any case. 1:0.

FIDE Surveys – Susan Polgar

5

Finally, let us look at a famous opening
trap.
After the starting moves
1.e4 g6 2.d4 Bg7 3.Nf3 d6 4.Bc4
It is a major mistake to continue with the
natural looking 4…Nd7?

XIIIIIIIIY
9r+lwqk+ntr0
9zppzpnzppvlp0
9-+-zp-+p+0
9+-+-+-+-0
9-+LzPP+-+0
9+-+-+N+-0
9PzPP+-zPPzP0
9tRNvLQmK-+R0
xiiiiiiiiy

Surprisingly, White is ready for action!
5.Bxf7! Kxf7 6.Ng5 Ke8 7.Ne6
and traps the Black Queen. 1:0.

Conclusion:
The Queen is the most powerful attacking
piece in chess. It is also the most valuable
piece overall. Therefore, it is extremely
important to make sure our own Queen
stays out of trouble. Normally, avoid
situations where your Queen is surrounded
by all (or mostly) enemy pieces and has no
squares to move to. Obviously, if it is the
other way around, and your opponent’s
Queen is in a delicate position, it is a red
flag, and you need to look for opportunities
to try to trap it. As we have seen in a
number of the above examples, it is not
uncommon that the only way to save the
Queen is by giving up a less valuable
piece.