ChessQueen vs pawn means one side has only a king and a pawn about to promote (on the 7th rank, with its king next to it), and the other side has a queen. You'd think the queen always wins, but if your own king is far away, the result depends on which file the pawn is on: center and knight pawns are usually a win; bishop and rook pawns are often a draw. If you end up chasing a pawn like this while you play chess against the computer, first check which file it is on.
The key position
The white king is too far away to get back in time. White's method: use the queen to check or attack the pawn and force the black king onto the square in front of its pawn (e1). With its own king in the way, the pawn can't promote for a moment, and the white king uses that move to come one step closer.
How to win
Force the black king in front of its pawn
The king steps closer
Then you repeat: the queen checks until the black king has to go back to e1, and the white king takes another step. Once the white king is next to the pawn, it can win the pawn or deliver mate. Knight pawns (b- and g-pawns) are won the same way.
Bishop pawn: the stalemate trap
With a bishop pawn (c- or f-pawn) the king can hide in the corner and defend with the idea "if you take my pawn, it's stalemate". The rook pawn (a- or h-pawn) is similar: the king sits in the corner in front of its pawn, and every way the queen tries ends in stalemate:
Common mistakes
The most common mistake is to rush the king over before blocking the pawn:
The king may only move when the black king is standing in front of its pawn. On every other move, the queen must check or guard the promotion square.
Practice puzzles
Show answer
1. Kc6 For example Kc6: the black pawn is blocked by its own king, so this is the moment for the white king to come closer (Kb6 and Ka6 also work). Then the queen checks again and you repeat the same steps.
Show answer
1... Kb1 Kb1! The black king stays next to its pawn. When the queen checks again, the king goes back to a1, and if the queen takes the pawn, it's stalemate. After Ka2 instead, the tablebase says Black loses.
FAQ
Why are bishop and rook pawns a draw?
Because the defending king can hide in the corner. With a bishop pawn, the king hides in the corner and lets the queen take the pawn, which is stalemate. With a rook pawn, the king sits in the corner in front of the pawn, and however the queen checks, it ends in stalemate.
Is it still a draw if my king is close?
No. The draws above are all with the attacking king far away. If your king is close enough to help before the pawn promotes, bishop and rook pawns can often be won too.
What if the pawn isn't on the 7th rank yet?
The further back the pawn is, the easier it is for the queen to stop it, and the queen usually wins. The hard case is a pawn already on the 7th rank with its king right beside it.
Try it yourself
The key to queen vs pawn is "force the king in front of its pawn, then step closer with your own king". Go back to chess endgames and look at king and pawn vs king and the rule of the square to practice counting how fast a pawn runs. Or try a free chess game against the computer, and when you're chasing a pawn, first check which file it is on.