Queen

The queen combines the movement of a rook and a bishop. It may travel any number of squares along a horizontal rank, a vertical file, meaning a column, or a diagonal, a line of squares that touch corner to corner, provided every square in between is empty. It captures by finishing on a square occupied by an enemy piece.

Each player begins with one queen. White's starts on d1, the d-file on the first rank, and Black's on d8, the same file on the eighth rank.

Because it reaches in eight directions, the queen can usually control more squares than any other piece. It is a major piece, the collective category for queens and rooks. It cannot jump, so one occupied square can stop all movement beyond it on that line.

A common practical scale values the queen at about nine pawns. This number is not a rule and does not decide whether exchanging pieces is good by itself: king safety, the useful squares each piece can reach or control, and the exact position may matter more. Losing the queen is usually serious, but it does not automatically end the game.