Chess Opening Theory/1. e4/1...e5/2. Qh5/2...g6

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1.e4 e5 2.Qh5 g6

Wayward Queen Attack
a b c d e f g h
8 a8 b8 c8 d8 e8 f8 g8 h8 8
7 a7 b7 c7 d7 e7 f7 g7 h7 7
6 a6 b6 c6 d6 e6 f6 g6 h6 6
5 a5 b5 c5 d5 e5 f5 g5 h5 5
4 a4 b4 c4 d4 e4 f4 g4 h4 4
3 a3 b3 c3 d3 e3 f3 g3 h3 3
2 a2 b2 c2 d2 e2 f2 g2 h2 2
1 a1 b1 c1 d1 e1 f1 g1 h1 1
a b c d e f g h
Position in Forsyth-Edwards Notation (FEN)
Moves: 1. e4 e5 2. Qh5 g6

Wayward Queen Attack[edit | edit source]

This move is a blunder as it allows 3. Qxe5+! creating a deadly fork to the king and the rook and thus loses that h8 rook. If, however, White blunders and Black plays well, the Queen may be trapped near h8, but this is unlikely.

Instead of playing 2…g6??, 2…Nc6 defends the e-pawn and gives Black a very slight edge due to White’s misplaced queen.

2…Nf6 attacking the Queen thus preventing the famous Scholar's Mate is another idea, though less common. Although this gives White the opportunity to capture on e5, Black in return gains tempos as White’s queen is far from her home and doesn’t have a clear way to get to safe squares such as e2 and d1 safely.

Black also has the ability to play Qd7 attempting to defend the pawn, but it somewhat blunders a whole queen as white can open the bishop to attack the queen on d7 (3. d3/d4, g6 4. Bg5, ...) The queen still has the ability to take, but if the white queen can protect the bishop, the queen will have to go somewhere else, thus it displaces the queen and black is vulnerable to other attacks, if white plays well that is.

If black plays Nc6, then white can play Bc4. The bishop would be vulnerable to attacks, but if black attempts to do any other move than guard the f-pawn, black loses. (3. Bc4, g6 4. Qf3, d5 (or any other move that doesn't protect the f-pawn) ?? 5. Qf7#, 1-0). If g6 is played, white can retreat to f3, and deliver a checkmate that way.