Queen and king checkmate the lone king
This is a White-to-move Queen endings endgame study. With best play, the result is white wins; the solution runs 1 half-moves.
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Queen and king checkmate the lone king is a Queen endings endgame study from the Climbchess curated set of 80 positions. With queen and king coordinated, White can force checkmate against a solitary black king. Learn how the queen cuts off escape squares while the king advances.
Position: White to move. Result with best play: white wins. Solution length: 1 half-moves.
FEN: 8/8/8/1Q6/8/2K5/8/2k5 w - - 0 1
Solving guide (move by move)
Show step-by-step solution
Try the position yourself first — endgame technique compounds when you struggle through the calculation before peeking.
- White:
b5f1
About Queen endings
Q vs P, Q+P vs Q, perpetual check, centralisation.
Related endgames
Underlying chess concepts
Endgame technique reduces to a small number of recurring patterns: opposition, key squares, zugzwang, fortress, breakthrough. Climbchess catalogues 4,505 interpretable patterns extracted from Leela Chess Zero via sparse autoencoders. Browse the methodology or jump straight into the trainer to attempt this exact position interactively.
Frequently asked
Is this position a win, draw or loss?
With best play: white wins. White moves first.
What is the key idea?
With queen and king coordinated, White can force checkmate against a solitary black king. Learn how the queen cuts off escape squares while the king advances.
How long is the solution?
1 half-moves (1 full moves) of forced or near-forced play.
Where can I practise it?
Open the Climbchess trainer using the deep-link button — the position loads pre-set so you can play it out against the engine.