LaviChess

Queen against a pawn on the seventh rank

Your opponent's pawn is one step from becoming a queen, and you already have one. Usually the queen wins, with a simple method. But against a rook pawn or a bishop pawn there is a stalemate trick that can save the defender.

The pawn one step from home

This endgame often comes from a race between two pawns: your pawn became a queen first, but your opponent's pawn stands on the seventh rank, protected by its king, and threatens to become a queen on the next move. White's king is far away. Who wins?

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The pawn on e2 is one move from becoming a queen, and Black's king protects it. White's king is far away. Even so, White wins.

Against a center pawn, as here, or a knight pawn, the queen nearly always wins. The method is simple, and your own king can stand far away.

The method: force the king in front of the pawn

The queen checks, or attacks the pawn, until the defending king has to stand on the promotion square, in front of its own pawn. Then the pawn can't move, and you get a free move. Use it to bring your king one step closer. Then the checks start over. In the end the king has arrived and the pawn falls.

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Black is to move. White wants to force Black's king onto e1, in front of its own pawn.
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Open on the analysis board

Notice the pattern: every time Black's king ends up on e1, White's king takes a step, Kc6, Kd5, Ke4 and Kd3. Four steps were enough.

The exceptions: the rook pawn and the bishop pawn

Against an a-pawn or h-pawn, and against a c-pawn or f-pawn, the method doesn't work if your own king is far away. The defender has a stalemate trick.

The rook pawn. When the queen forces the king into the corner in front of the pawn, it is stalemate. White never gets the free move, because Black has no move at all.

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The rook pawn: the king stands on a1 in front of the pawn, and Black is to move. It is stalemate. White never gets to use the free move to bring the king closer.

The bishop pawn. Here the king doesn't need to stand in front of the pawn. It goes to the corner instead. If the queen takes the pawn it is stalemate, and if the queen leaves it, the pawn becomes a queen.

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The bishop pawn: Black's king has gone to the corner instead of standing in front of the pawn. If the queen takes the pawn it is stalemate, and otherwise the pawn becomes a queen. A draw.
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After Qxc2, Black's king on a1 has no move and isn't in check: stalemate.

But with the king close, the queen still wins

The stalemate trick saves the defender only if the attacking king is too far away. If it is close, it gets there in time to help, and then the queen wins against the rook pawn and the bishop pawn too. Compare:

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A c-pawn, and White's king is far away: a draw.
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A c-pawn, but White's king is close: White wins.
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An a-pawn, and White's king is far away: a draw.
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An a-pawn, but White's king is close: White wins.

Exactly how close the king has to be depends on the position. The principle is simple: the closer, the better.

Practice against the computer

Now it's your turn. Black has an e-pawn on the second rank and threatens to make a queen. Stop it and win the pawn. The computer defends Black.

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You are playing White. Make your first move.

You have White. Black threatens to get a new queen. Stop the pawn and win it. The computer defends Black. Watch out: 1. Qxe2+? Kxe2 only draws.

Remember

  • Center pawn or knight pawn: the queen wins with checks and one king step at a time.
  • Rook pawn or bishop pawn: stalemate saves the defender, unless the attacking king is close.
  • Don't take too early. The queen can take the pawn only when she won't be taken back, and when it isn't stalemate.

There's more about the trap that saves half a point on the page about stalemate.

Frequently asked questions

Does a queen always beat a pawn?

No. Against a pawn on the seventh rank protected by its king, the queen nearly always wins against a center pawn or a knight pawn. Against a rook pawn or a bishop pawn it is a draw if the attacking king is too far away, because of stalemate.

How do you win with a queen against a pawn?

Check, or attack the pawn, until the defending king has to stand in front of its pawn. Then the pawn can't move, and you get a free move: bring your king one step closer. Repeat until the king has arrived and the pawn falls.

How does the bishop pawn save itself?

When the king is pushed toward the corner, it goes there instead of standing in front of the pawn. If the queen takes the pawn it is stalemate, and if it doesn't, the pawn becomes a queen.

Updated October 28, 2026